Pakistan Set To Appoint Sarfaraz Ahmed As Test Head Coach: Reports

Pakistan are set to appoint Sarfaraz Ahmed as their new Test head coach after Azhar Mahmood.

Pakistan are close to finalising their next Test head coach, with former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed emerging as the frontrunner for the role. The position has remained vacant since Azhar Mahmood stepped down last year.

Sarfaraz is expected to take charge of the red-ball side ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming Test series against Bangladesh in May, which forms part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Sarfaraz recently worked with Pakistan Shaheens, the country’s ‘A’ team, during their One-Day and T20 series against England Lions in the UAE. However, that tour was called off midway due to the US–Israel–Iran war.

The former wicketkeeper-batter is best remembered for leading Pakistan to their historic Champions Trophy triumph in 2017, when they defeated India in the final. Over his international career from 2007 to 2023, Sarfaraz represented Pakistan in 54 Tests, 117 ODIs and 61 T20Is.

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Pakistan began their current ICC World Test Championship campaign against South Africa at home last October, with Azhar Mahmood serving as head coach at the time. The two-match series ended in a 1-1 draw. With one win and one defeat so far, Pakistan currently sit fifth in the WTC standings.

Bangladesh ODI Tour Under Cloud

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s scheduled three-match ODI tour of Bangladesh is reportedly uncertain due to the ongoing Middle East crisis. According to Pakistani media reports, the tour will proceed only if there are no “travel risks” or “security concerns”.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has stated that it has not received any official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regarding a possible postponement.

“If this comes to a stage where they can’t travel, then we cannot do anything,” BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin told Cricbuzz. “But so far we haven’t received any correspondence from PCB in that regard.

The ODI series is set to begin on March 11, with all three matches scheduled at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.