Following Jason Gillespie's departure, Azhar Mahmood has been appointed as Pakistan's acting red-ball coach until April 2026. This appointment comes after a challenging period for Pakistan cricket, including a Test series loss to South Africa.
Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has been appointed as the team’s acting red-ball coach by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday, June 30. Pakistan’s Test side was without a coach after Jason Gillespie made an abrupt exit from the role, allegedly due to a breakdown in communication and exclusion from selection decisions.
Azhar Mahmood was appointed as the assistant coach across all the formats, tasked to work alongside Gary Kristen in ODIs and T20Is, and Jason Gillespie in Tests. However, both have moved on from their roles due to differences with the Pakistan Cricket Board and selectors. The 50-year-old was brought into the coaching system after he had signed a two-year contract with PCB in April 2024.
After Jason Gillipse’s departure as Test coach, Aquib Javed was put in charge of the South Africa tour, where Pakistan lost the series 0-2 in the last leg of the recently concluded World Test Championship. Gillespie’s resignation and Pakistan’s Test series whitewash at the hands of South Africa intensified scrutiny on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s management structure, selection polices, and a lack of clarity in all formats of the game.
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Mahmood to serve as an acting red-ball coach until April 2026
The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed the appointment of Azhar Mahmood as the acting red-ball coach of the team until his ongoing contract ends in April 2026.
“His deep knowledge of the game, combined with hands-on international exposure and proven success in the English county circuit, makes him exceptionally well-suited for this position," the PCB said in a statement.
"His red-ball pedigree is underscored by two County Championship titles - 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," the board added.
Azhar Mahmood’s appointment as an acting red-ball coach of Pakistan came just a month after PCB appointed former New Zealand cricketer and head coach, Mike Hesson, as the limited-overs coach. Hesson replaced former Gray Kristen, who resigned from his role in October last year, just six months after his appointment, due to a lack of control over the team.
Pakistan to kick-start their new WTC Cycle in October
Pakistan are currently not playing any Test series after their last red-ball outing in the second Test against South Africa in January, as they will be focusing on limited-overs cricket, with T20I series against Bangladesh starting on July 20, followed by T20I and ODI series against West Indies, which will begin from August 1 to 12.
Pakistan will return to play red-ball cricket in October with the two-match Test series against touring South Africa, who recently won their maiden World Test Championship title by defeating Australia in the final at Lord’s. The Test series against the Proteas will mark the beginning of their new WTC Cycle.
Pakistan failed to finish at least in the top five of the World Test Championship points table for two successive editions of the tournament. In the last WTC cycle, Pakistan finished seventh on the points table with four wins, six losses, and four draws, with a win percentage of 38.1 in 14 matches.
