Azhar Mahmood appointed interim Test coach of Pakistan following its vacancy since December when Gillespie quit.
Azhar Mahmood appointed acting head coach of Pakistan Test team.
“The acting red-ball head coach” of the Pakistan men’s national team is Azhar Mahmood. According to the PCB, Azhar will remain in the role “until the conclusion of his current contract,” which includes Pakistan’s upcoming Test match assignments against Sri Lanka in December and January and South Africa at home in October.
Last April, Azhar served as the assistant coach for the national team. Earlier that month, he served as head coach for Pakistan in their home Twenty20 International series against New Zealand. Over a 20-year span beginning in 1996, the 50-year-old former all-rounder played in 21 Test matches and 143 ODIs for his nation. He had three hundreds and 162 international wickets when he retired.
“A seasoned cricketing mind, Azhar Mahmood steps into the role with an impressive portfolio of experience,” the PCB noted in a statement. “Having served as the assistant head coach of the national side, Azhar has long been a pivotal part of the team’s strategic core. His deep knowledge of the game, combined with hands-on international exposure and proven success in the English county circuit, make him exceptionally well-suited for this position.
“His red-ball pedigree is underscored by two County Championship titles [with Surrey] – an achievement that speaks volumes about his leadership, tactical acumen and unwavering commitment to excellence. The PCB is confident that under Azhar’s guidance, the red-ball squad will continue to grow in strength, discipline and performance on the global stage.”
Since Jason Gillespie left his position in December 2024, six months into his tenure, Pakistan has been without a permanent head coach for their Test team. Then, during the previous World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, Aaqib Javed filled in in a temporary role for the two-Test tour to South Africa and the home two-Test series against the West Indies.
In October 2024, less than six months into his contract, Gary Kirsten resigned as head coach of the white-ball team, and Aaqib took over, once more in an interim role. Since then, Mike Hesson has been assigned to that role.