March 4th 2025.
Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board has made an important decision regarding the interim head coach for the white-ball tour of New Zealand. In light of time constraints between the Champions Trophy and the New Zealand tour, the PCB has asked former pacer and national selector, Aaqib Javed, to continue as interim head coach. This decision has been made while keeping in mind the smooth functioning of the national team.
According to a PCB official, the board has already begun the process of finding a new head coach for the team, and they will ensure that all due procedures are followed in the selection process. It is expected that the new head coach will be in place before Pakistan begins their new cycle of the World Test Championship in August.
Last year, the PCB had appointed Jason Gillispie and Gary Kirsten as the red-ball and white-ball coaches respectively, but unfortunately, both resigned within six to eight months of their appointment due to issues with the Pakistan board. As a result, Aaqib, a senior selector, was asked to step in as the interim head coach for the white-ball squad. He then continued in this role for the Test series against South Africa and West Indies as well. However, the team did not perform well in the three-nation event in Pakistan and the Champions Trophy, resulting in an early exit.
In addition to this, the PCB has also announced that former Pakistan captain, Mohammad Yousuf, will now serve as the batting coach for the national side. This move is seen as a positive step towards strengthening the team's batting line-up. Furthermore, the PCB has appointed Salman Ali Agha as the captain and Shadab Khan as the vice-captain of the T20 squad, with an eye on the upcoming T20 World Cup next year.
The board has clarified that this decision has been made keeping in mind two major tournaments - the ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Salman has previously led Pakistan in a T20I series against Zimbabwe, winning it 2-1. In preparation for the T20 World Cup, Pakistan is set to play a minimum of five T20Is in the Asia Cup 2025 and three T20Is each against West Indies, Afghanistan, Ireland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Australia.
Moreover, the PCB has also confirmed that Mohammad Rizwan will continue to lead the ODI side as Pakistan builds towards the 2027 ODI World Cup. This decision has been made with the upcoming ODI World Cup, which will be held in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, in mind.
The board has also announced that openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub will not be considered for either format for the upcoming tour of New Zealand. This decision has been made on medical advice, as Fakhar is still recovering from a left lower intercostal muscle sprain, while Saim is recuperating from a right ankle fracture sustained during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in January. However, both players are expected to be fully fit for the upcoming Pakistan Super League 10, which is set to begin in Rawalpindi on April 11th.
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