Lahore: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a management and coaches that are reworked for the next T20 international series against Bangladesh, notably omitting the assistant coach Azhar Mahmood of coaches.
In accordance with the Cricket Council, Mike Hesson in New Zealand will assume the responsibilities of the head coach. Among the other key meetings, Ashley NOFFKE in Australia has been named Bowling coach, while Hanif Malik will be the stick coach. While Naveed Akram Cheema was appointed team director.
The new support staff also includes Mohammad Masroor as a Fielding coach, Cliff Deacon as a physiotherapist and Imranullah as a strength of force and conditioning. The team management will also include a team analyst, a team doctor, a security director, a masseur and a media director.
This series marks the start of Hesson’s mandate as a Chief of Blancball Master of the Pakistani male cricket, after being appointed by the PCB for the said role on May 13, replacing Aqib Javed.
Mahmood, who had previously held the role of the bowling coach, had expressed interest in playing the role, declaring that he would apply for the job of head coach.
“I will certainly apply for the role of the Pakistani team coach,” said Mahmood in an interview earlier this month. However, the Council did not consider it for the crucial role.
These changes arise as Pakistan is preparing to face Bangladesh in the T20I series, signaling a significant overhaul in the leadership of the team’s back-shop.
The three T20is will be held at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore, from May 28 and ending on June 1.
The first T20i will be played on Wednesday, the second Friday and the final on Sunday. All matches will start at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Originally, Bangladesh was to arrive in Pakistan on May 21 in two groups, with a T20I series of five games scheduled to start on May 25 in Faisalabad. However, logistical adjustments and security considerations have led to a revised three game series, all to host in Lahore, following the revision of the calendar following a recent dead end between Pakistan and India.
The first group of the Bangladesh cricket team arrived in Lahore for the T20 International Series with three games against Pakistan.
The initial team of 10 members includes the Hasan Mahmud players, Mohammad Tanvir Islam and Parvez Hossain Emon. Tanzim Hasan Sakib and support staff are also part of the first batch to reach the city.
Bangladesh players are expected to arrive in three groups for the next series. The two teams will train at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on May 26 and 27, before the opening match. The captains of both parties will also hold a pre-match press conference on May 27.
The PCB announced a team of 16 members for the T20I series, with Salman Ali Agha appointed Captain and Shadab Khan as vice-captain. The selection is based on performance in PSL X.
The team includes Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Wasim Junior and Nasem Shah. Notable exclusions are former captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Umair Bin Yousuf, Sufyan Muqeem and Usman Khan were also left out.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh will be led by Litton Das, who was appointed Captain T20i earlier this year after Najmul Halsa Shanto resigned. The guist’s guests is the vice-captain for water and Pakistani tours.
