PCB to appoint Pakistani coaches for all formats

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to appoint Pakistani coaches for all three formats.

The board now intends to part ways with foreign head coaches after a tense relationship and bitter experiences with Gary Kirsten.

There are also indications that the contract of the Test team's head coach, Jason Gillespie, will be terminated prematurely, and the board is considering appointing national coaches.

This move appears to follow the approach taken by Kirsten in dealing with the PCB, and his experience seems to have been a wake-up call for the authorities.

Sources report that a Pakistani head coach will be appointed during the Zimbabwe tour. The support staff will reportedly consist of foreign batting, bowling, and fielding coaches, along with the Pakistani head coach.

Jason Gillespie attempted to meet the conditions, but the PCB dismissed his efforts, warning that his appointment was for an interim period to avoid violating the code of conduct.

The white-ball head coach for the tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa will be announced in the next few days.

In the past, Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mohammad Hafeez have led the coaching panel of the Pakistani team, but the PCB has always given preference to foreign coaches.

The PCB appointed former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten as the head coach of Pakistan's white ball team and former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie as the head coach of the red ball team in April 2024.

Later, the head coach and team captain were excluded from the selection committee.

In October, PCB decided to include Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, and Aqib Javed in the National Selection Committee, while Hasan Cheema was added as a data analyst.