Pakistan fielding coach Grant Luden quits after dispute with senior players: Reports
Pakistan fielding coach Grant Luden has quit from his post after a heated argument with senior players Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad during a training session yesterday over the team’s attitude and disappointing performances of late, especially the loss against India in the World Cup opener, if The Express Tribune reports are to be believed.
Luden had earlier threatened to resign after a group of Pakistan players expressed discontent over his working methods; Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan, however, convinced him to carry on. Things seemed to have gone beyond control now.
Luden signed a two-year deal with Pakistan after leaving the Bangladesh side in May 2014.
Pakistan have already had a few major setbacks entering into the tournament, losing their best bowlers – Junaid Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul and Mohammad Hafeez – due to different reasons. They face West Indies in the second match of the tournament at Christchurch.
With Zimbabwe and Ireland having shown their potential already, a loss in the match against the Caribbean side could put their qualification chances under serious threat.