New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has begun the search for a new head coach for the Pakistan senior men’s team after Aaqib Javed’s tenure as the interim coach ended after the T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year. Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood is reportedly interested in becoming the new head coach.
Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq is also among the strong contenders for the top post. However, New Zealand’s Mike Hesson is reportedly currently the frontrunner for the Pakistan head coach post. PCB had appointed Javed as the interim coach after foreign coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie resigned from their respective positions last year.
PCB recently invited applications for the head coach post, and May 5 is the deadline for interested candidates to apply for the post. As per the news agency PTI, Azhar is interested in applying for the post as he believes he has gained much experience over the years, having worked as an assistant coach and the bowling coach of Pakistan.
Azhar was part of Pakistan’s backroom staff under former head coaches Mickey Arthur, Kirsten and Gillespie. He has also worked extensively in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he has served as the bowling coach for the likes of Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans. Besides Azhar, Saqlain is also a strong contender to take over as the new head coach of the Pakistan team.
However, as per PTI, PCB sources have claimed that Hesson is the favourite to take over as the new Pakistan head coach, given that he is ready to take up the high-pressure role. This is not the first time Pakistan are seeking Hesson’s services as the head coach of the men’s national team. They had approached the Kiwi coach in 2023, but he had turned down the offer, citing his commitments in the franchise leagues.
Hesson was New Zealand’s head coach for seven years from 2012 to 2018. He also served as the Director of Cricket for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL for five seasons. He has been the head coach of the Islamabad United franchise in the Pakistan Super League since 2023. Hesson has significant experience behind his back and is widely regarded as one of the best coaches around.
However, it remains to be seen if he will agree to take over as the Pakistan head coach, considering the turmoil in Pakistan cricket in recent years. The PCB has appointed numerous foreign and domestic coaches over the last few years, but almost all of them have failed to transform the team and get them to perform on a regular basis,
