Pakistan hunt batting coach

Islamabad - Pakistan on Thursday launched a search for its first ever full-time batting coach in a bid to boost an area of the side's game that has let it down in major events.

Pakistan unsuccessfully chased a target of 140 in their semi-final defeat against hosts Sri Lanka in the World Twenty20 semi-final earlier this month, again highlighting their weakness when batting second in a limited overs match.

The side also fell behind in their run-chase against arch-rivals India in the World Cup (50 overs) semi-final in Mohali in March last year.

The advertisement on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) website invites applications from candidates with a Level III coaching qualification and five years experience, to be submitted by November 4.

In March, Pakistan hired former Australian batsman Dav Whatmore as their head coach before adding Englishman Julien Fountain as fielding coach and their own former paceman Mohammad Akram as bowling coach.

Former batting legend Javed Miandad, who is also PCB director general, helped the country's batsmen in the run-up to the World Twenty20 last month but has not been willing to do the job on a regular basis.

Pakistan will tour India in December-January before touring South Africa in February next year.