Azhar Ali appointed head of youth development at PCB

Former Pakistan cricket team captain Azhar Ali has been appointed as the head of youth development at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

This role will be an extension of Ali's current responsibilities as a member of the national selection committee. His appointment has been made as per the recruitment process.

Reacting to the news, Azhar said he felt proud and excited to play this important role. "After playing club and domestic cricket, I understand that grassroots development has a vital role in shaping the stars of the future. Significant progress has already been made in this area and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance our youth development programme further."

Azhar started his journey with the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2002, after which he joined the senior team. In his career from 2010 to 2022, he represented Pakistan in 97 Tests and 53 ODIs. He also captained the national team in 9 Tests and 31 ODIs.

His appointment comes at time as the PCB makes prominent changes to the management of the board as well as the cricket team.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made several key appointments recently to enhance its coaching and administrative teams. Shahid Aslam has been appointed as the new batting coach, and his tenure will begin during the team's upcoming tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Known for his meticulous approach and technical insights, Aslam has previously been part of Pakistan's support staff and is expected to impact the team's batting performance significantly.

Syed Sameer Ahmed has been appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer, and Sumair Ahmad Syed will serve as the Chief Operating Officer for the ICC Champions Trophy. Azhar Ali has taken on the role of Head of Youth Development, while Aqib Javed has been named the Interim White-Ball Head Coach. Wahab Riaz will act as the Supervisor for the ICC Champions Trophy and the Leader of the Mentoring Team.

These appointments are part of PCB's efforts to improve the team's performance and ensure better governance and transparency within the organization.