Former Baroda and West Zone cricketer Milap Mewara has earned a full-time contract with the Afghanistan cricket team as batting coach ahead of the ODI series against Pakistan and then the Asia Cup. Mewara, who has been in the coaching role for a long time having been coach of his state side Baroda, the U-19 team of Chhattisgarh and then the head coach of the Jammu and Kashmir team, was with the Afghanistan team for the Bangladesh series and the trial camp in Sri Lanka ahead of the long ODI season.
Confirming his appointment, Afghanistan cricket board wrote, "He has been offered a full-time contract after careful consideration of his recent stint with the Afghanistan Squad during the recent Abu Dhabi Training Camp and the Bangladesh Tour in July.
Mewara played 11 first-class and 26 List-A matches in the domestic cricket but never played for India. After quitting cricket, Mewara has been in the coaching role since then. Mewara has a total experience of 32 years in playing and coaching job and his former Baroda teammate Irfan Pathan has congratulated him. "Proud moment for Baroda and me as our very own @MilapMewada is now the batting coach of @ACBofficials ! Congrats, Milap bhai! Your expertise will surely make a big impact on their team," Pathan said.
Afghanistan will take on Pakistan in a three-match ODI series starting August 22 but Rashid Khan, who pulled out from the Hundred will not be a part of it. Hence, the selectors have waited to announce the squad for the Asia Cup hoping that their star spinner will be fit for the continental tournament.
Afghanistan squad for Pakistan ODIs: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Saleem Safi and Wafadar Momand
