Malik believes he possesses the necessary qualifications to be Pakistan’s new batting coach

Disgraced Pakistan captain Saleem Malik has announced that he is interested in applying for the position as the national team’s full-time batting coach.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf advertised the position after the batsmen in the national team continued their dismal run in the recently concluded International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20.

Malik’s life-ban he received in 2000 after Justice Qayyum’s inquiry into a match-fixing scandal was lifted in 2008 after several years of court battles.

Malik had also tried to appeal against the ban in 2001, but it was rejected.

The last time Malik tried to apply for a position within the PCB, as the director of  their National Cricket Academy, the ICC demanded the board to give details into his appointment, but the PCB immediately denied to offering him the job in the first place.

Upon submitting his application to Intikhab Alam, the PCB’s director of international cricket operations, Malik said: “I am cleared and my life ban was lifted four years ago, I am cleared by the PCB and the ICC so I can now be involved in any cricket-related activity.”

Malik last represented Pakistan in June 1999, and finished his career with 103 Tests under his belt, which makes him one of only four Pakistani players to accomplish the feat.

Of the 103 Tests Malik played, he captained Pakistan in 12 of them between 1994-1995, and ended up winning seven.

Malik also played in 283 ODIs during his international career.

In the requirements for the new coaching position, the PCB are looking for a Level-3 coach with at least five years worth of experience, but Malik noted that his lack of coaching experience will not hinder the number of Tests and ODIs he represented Pakistan in during his career.

“A Test cricketer like me doesn’t need any coaching course or any certificate. I have the ability to help the batsmen overcome their problems, which have been the main hurdle in team’s performance. I feel I have a role to play and want to serve my country. I was a successful captain in my time and despite the various disputes in the team I had kept the team united. I managed to lead the team very efficiently and produced the results and this shows my competence,” Malik added.