(AFP Photo)
Tim Nielsen will collaborate with Test head coach Jason Gillespie for the upcoming two-match home series against Bangladesh.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has bolstered their support staff with the addition of Tim Nielsen as the new High-Performance Coach for Test cricket. Nielsen will team up with Test head coach Jason Gillespie to guide the team in their efforts to bounce back after a 3-0 defeat to Australia earlier this year.
Pakistan’s upcoming challenge is a two-match Test series at home against Bangladesh. Nielsen and Gillespie have previously collaborated during their time in South Australia. Nielsen, who succeeded John Buchanan as Australia’s head coach in February 2007 and held the position until September 2011, led the Australian team to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2010.
At 56 years old, Tim Nielsen had a notable playing career, featuring in 101 first-class and 49 List-A matches. He accumulated 3,800 runs in first-class cricket and 639 runs in List-A games, also fulfilling wicketkeeping duties. Despite his impressive domestic performances, Nielsen never had the chance to represent Australia on the international stage.
Now, Nielsen has joined Jason Gillespie’s coaching team and is currently overseeing the training camp for Pakistan Shaheens in preparation for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.
The first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh is set to begin at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on August 21. The second Test will follow at the National Stadium in Karachi, starting on August 30.
Currently, Pakistan holds the fifth spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings for the 2023-2025 cycle, while Bangladesh is positioned second to last, just above the West Indies, who are ranked ninth. Earlier this year, Bangladesh faced Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series at home, suffering comprehensive defeats in both matches. Both teams will be keen to improve their fortunes in the upcoming series.
