No Azhar Mahmood in Pakistan team management for Bangladesh T20Is

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday, announced the team management for the upcoming three-match home T20I series against Bangladesh, with assistant coach Azhar Mahmood being a notable absentee.

Mahmood was one of the frontrunners to become the new head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team besides Mike Hesson, who eventually landed the role earlier this month for an undefined period.

Mahmood, in an interview earlier this month, had expressed his interest in taking up the role, stating that he would apply for the role.

“I’m definitely going to apply for the Pakistan team head coach role,” Mahmood stated.

Azhar Mahmood has previously held the role of bowling coach and remains a familiar figure in Pakistan's coaching setup.

Notably, following the conclusion of former pacer Aqib Javed’s tenure as the interim head coach, the men’s cricket team is once again set to embark on a new era under new coaches and support staff, led by Hesson.

Among considerable changes, the PCB also brought in former Australia pacer Ashley Noffke as the bowling coach, while former first-class cricketer Hanif Malik has been appointed as the batting coach.

Mohammad Masroor and Cliffe Deacon remained fielding coach and physio respectively, while Imranullah has been named the strength and conditioning. Naveed Akram Cheema, on the other hand, will serve as the team manager.

For the unversed, the upcoming three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium here on May 28 and 30 and June 1, respectively.

Pakistan squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicket-keeper) and Saim Ayub.