Azhar named as Pak team head coach for NZ T20 series

ISLAMABAD: Former Test all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has been named as the head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team for the upcoming five-match T20 series against New Zealand.

He is expected to be replaced by a foreign coach for the Pakistan tour to England and later for the World Cup. Azhar, however, is likely to stay as the assistant coach till the World Cup to start in West Indies and USA in June.

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has already confirmed hiring a foreign coach by the end of this month with the team scheduled to leave for Ireland and England in the first week of May.

The temporary arrangements will see Azhar taking over as the head coach with Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Saeed Ajmal (spin bowling coach), and Aftab Khan (field coach) as his support staff in the coaching department.

Azhar represented Pakistan in 164 internationals, taking 162 wickets and scoring 2,421 runs. Azhar’s previous assignment with the Pakistan men’s cricket team was from 2016-2019 when he was the bowling coach.

Wahab Riaz has been appointed as the senior team manager, while Mansoor Rana is the team manager. Saeed Ajmal, who was the bowling coach on the last tours of Australia and New Zealand, will continue as the spin bowling coach.

Pakistan team player support personnel for New Zealand T20Is:

Wahab Riaz (senior team manager), Mansoor Rana (team manager), Azhar Mahmood (head coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Saeed Ajmal (spin bowling coach), Aftab Khan (field coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saiman (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Butt (analyst), Irtiza Komail (security manager), Raza Kitchlew (media and digital manager), Zain Maqsood (videographer), Dr Khurram Sarwar (doctor), and Mohammad Imran (masseur).