Lahore, Mar 4 (PTI) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked former pacer and national selector, Aaqib Javed, to continue as interim head coach for the white-ball tour of New Zealand.
A PCB official said due to time constraints between the Champions Trophy and New Zealand tour, Aaqib will continue as interim head coach.
“The PCB meanwhile has started the process of finding a new head coach for the national team and due process would be followed,” he said.
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The official said Pakistan should have a new head coach when they begin their new cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) in August.
Last year, the PCB had appointed Jason Gillispie and Gary Kirsten as the red ball and white ball coaches respectively, but both resigned within six to eight months of their appointment citing issues with the Pakistan board.
Aaqib, a senior selector, was then asked to take over as interim head coach of the white ball squad and then also the red ball team for the Test series in South Africa and against West Indies at home.
He also continued in the post in the three-nation event in Pakistan and the Champions Trophy from which the team bowed out without registering a win.
Former Pakistan captain, Mohammad Yousuf, will now work as batting coach of the national side.
The PCB also said that it has appointed Salman Ali Agha as captain and Shadab Khan as vice-captain of the T20 squad keeping in mind the T20 World Cup next year.
“The decision to appoint Salman and Shadab as T20I captain and vice-captain, respectively, has been made with an eye on two major upcoming tournaments – the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (September 2025) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (February/March 2026),” the board said.
Salman has previously led Pakistan in a T20I series against Zimbabwe, winning it 2-1.
As part of preparations for the T20 World Cup, Pakistan are set to play a minimum of five T20Is in the Asia Cup 2025 and three T20Is each against West Indies (away in July), Afghanistan (home in August), Ireland (home in September), South Africa (home in September/October), Sri Lanka (home in November) and Australia (home in January 2026).
The board said that Mohammad Rizwan will continue leading the ODI side as Pakistan build for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will take place in Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The board also confirmed that openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were not considered for either format for the New Zealand tour on medical advice.
“Fakhar suffered a left lower intercostal muscle sprain during Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand, while Saim is recovering from a right ankle fracture sustained on the first day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa in January,” the board said.
It confirmed that both are expected to be fully fit for the Pakistan Super League 10, starting in Rawalpindi on 11 April.
