Wasim Akram names potential candidate for Pakistan’s red-ball head coach

Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram has endorsed former captain Younis Khan as a strong candidate for the role of head coach of Pakistan’s red-ball Test cricket team.

Speaking at a ceremony in Karachi, Wasim shared his views on the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 and offered his opinion on the future coaching setup of the national team.

“Younis Khan can be a good option as a batting coach for red-ball cricket. The new coach can help change the mindset of the younger players,” Akram said.

“The new coach will bring a fresh approach to the Pakistan team,” he added.

The former left-arm pacer also praised several standout performances from the PSL, highlighting emerging talent.

“Hasan Nawaz impressed in the PSL. Salman Mirza and Ali Raza also performed well with the ball,” he observed.

Stressing the importance of patience, the 58-year-old urged that players be given adequate time to adjust to the demands of T20 cricket.

“Players should be given time to settle in T20 cricket,” he said.

On the topic of India-Pakistan cricket relations, Wasim remained cautious, stating, “I cannot comment on what might change in Pakistan-India cricket.”

It is pertinent to mention that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had previously appointed Aqib Javed as the red-ball coach following the departure of former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie.

Aqib served as interim head coach for all formats until Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand in April.

Recently, the former pacer was named Director of High Performance, while former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson took over as Pakistan’s white-ball coach.

For the unversed, Hesson's first assignment as head coach of the national team is a three-match T20I home series against Bangladesh, starting from May 28 to June 1.

The Bangladesh team, led by Litton Das, has arrived in Pakistan and will begin training tonight ahead of the all-important encounter.

Meanwhile, the Men in Green will continue with their white-ball series before embarking on their first red-ball assignment in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle.

Following the 2025 Asia Cup in September, Pakistan is scheduled to host South Africa in October for a Test series comprising two matches, along with three ODIs and three T20Is.