MCA appoints ex-World Cup winning coach Whatmore as cricket director
THE Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) today appointed former World Cup-winning coach Dav Whatmore as its director of cricket.
MCA described the 71-year-old Australian's appointment as part of its revamped coaching structure, aimed at redefining the country's presence in international cricket.
'Dav Whatmore is a highly accomplished and successful gentleman who has played many roles in various full members. As head coach of Sri Lanka, the country won the ICC (International Cricket Council) World Cup in 1996 and has since produced many positive results.
'It is expected that the appointment will result in Malaysia building a total cricket structure that will connect the dots from lateral development to being a high-performing country,' it said in a statement.
As part of the strategic shift, the MCA also announced that former Pakistan international Bilal Asad would lead the national men's team as head coach.
It said that Bilal will oversee his charges for several crucial tournaments over the next 18 months, including the ICC Men's T20 World Cup qualifier for the Asia and East Asia Pacific region in Oman from Oct 1-17.
The tournament will feature nine teams, with the top three qualifying for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka next February.
Meanwhile, MCA president Mahinda Vallipuram, in the same statement, described the refreshed coaching structure as representing their determination to transform Malaysia into a competitive force internationally.
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