DUBAI: Pakistan’s next full-time coach is “99%” certain to be a local man, according to PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, though a tweaked coaching set-up may also look at incorporating inputs from foreign coaches as and when required. Waqar Younis, Butt said, is among the men the board is looking at.

“The full-time coach of the Pakistan side will be 99% a Pakistani,” Butt told ICC cricket website. “We have two-three people in mind and Waqar is one of those that we have met and are looking at. A decision will be taken in the next couple of days on this.”

The security situation in the country will also be a factor as  foreign coaches not prepared to reside in Pakistan, though neither of the country’s last two foreign coaches – Bob Woolmer or Geoff Lawson – had any problems staying in the country’s cricket headquarters in Lahore.

But the peculiar nature of Pakistan’s future commitments now may lead to the board appointing foreign consultants as and when required. All of Pakistan’s home commitments will be played abroad for the forseeable future, either in the UAE, or in specific arrangements with other countries: the ‘home series’ against New Zealand, for example, last year was played in New Zealand, while they will play a much-postponed ‘home series’ against Australia in England later this year.

For these commitments Pakistan may look to get inputs from consultants. “We may hire foreign coaches for consultants positions, or have specific positions, depending on what and where our commitments are and what our needs are,” Butt said. “But our full-time coach is most likely to be a local.”