Mushtaq Ahmed says he is committed to Sussex despite continued speculation linking him with the Pakistan coaching vacancy.

The 36-year-old makes his first appearance of the season at Lord's today (11am) when the county champions meet MCC in the traditional curtain-raiser to the domestic campaign.

Mushtaq was assistant to former coach Bob Woolmer, whose death in Jamaica last month on the day after Pakistan's World Cup exit is being treated as murder.

The Pakistan Cricket Board have already indicated that their next coach will not be a foreigner and the vacancy was discussed when Mushtaq gave his report on the World Cup campaign to officials before flying to England.

Mushtaq's Sussex contract expires at the end of the season although there is the option to extend it for another year.

He said: "I have a passion for coaching. If I can deliver to my country what I have learned from all the coaches I have worked with as well as my own ideas then that would be great. But at the moment I'm just concentrating on my cricket. I only look at what is happening today, not tomorrow and I'll definitely see the season out with Sussex."