KARACHI, Pakistan: Pakistan Monday appointed former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood as head coach of the national men’s team for a five-match Twenty20 International series against New Zealand starting April 18 in Rawalpindi.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a press release said, “Mahmood has been named as the head coach of the Pakistan cricket team for the upcoming series against New Zealand”.
The first match will be played in Rawalpindi on April 18. The next matches will be played on April 20 and 21, also in Rawalpindi, and then in Lahore on April 25 and 27.
Azhar Mahmood played for Pakistan in 164 internationals, taking 162 wickets and scoring 2,421 runs. He was the bowling coach from 2016-19 also.
Meanwhile, former pacer Wahab Riaz has been appointed as senior team manager, while former captain Mohammad Yousuf will be the batting coach and Saeed Ajmal the spin-bowling coach of the team.
Pakistan had a major shake-up after the 2023 fifty-over World Cup in India with head coach Mickey Arthur replaced and batting star Babar Azam stepping down as captain of all three formats.
At first, Shaheen Shah Afridi was made white-ball captain, Shan Masood Test skipper and Mohammad Hafeez team director.
But after Mohsin Naqvi was elected as chairman PCB, he reappointed Azam as white-ball captain.
Pakistan will also play three Twenty20 internationals in Ireland and four in England before heading to the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies this year.
