Azhar Mahmood, Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, all have been appointed for a period of two years.
Karachi: In a major development ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday the appointments of Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie as coaches of the men’s senior team. Kirsten, who had coached India to 2011 World Cup, has been named as the white-ball (T20I and ODI) head coach while former Australian pacer Gillespie will take charge of the Test team. Besides, Azhar Mahmood has also been confirmed as an assistant coach of Pakistan across all formats.
The three appointments have been made for a two-year period following a recruitment process. Kirsten will take charge of the side immediately after completing his assignment in the Indian Premier League. During his tenure, besides the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and other bilateral white-ball series, Kirsten will also be in charge of the side for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, ACC T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
Gillespie will assume responsibilities for the ICC World Test Championship fixtures against Bangladesh (at home in August), which will be followed by Tests against England (at home in October) and South Africa (away in December) in the 2024-25 season.
“I am grateful to the PCB for their faith in my abilities and giving me the honour of coaching one of the most highly-regarded and talented cricket teams in the traditional format of the sport. Leading the Pakistan cricket team is a big achievement for any coach, given its rich legacy and passionate fan base,” Gillespie said.
“I love Test cricket and being able to focus on that is something I like very much. I also love the fact that there is so much talent in Pakistan. I like to think that I can help in some way to grow and develop the players. I want to win Tests – that is why I am taking this role. I love winning and I know we have got the skill to make that happen,” he added.
“It’s a tremendous honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men’s national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time. I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men’s national team in limited-overs cricket,” said the South African Kirsten.
“My perspective on Pakistan cricket has remained consistent over time. There’s always an inherent expectation for the team to perform at a high level consistently. However, in team sports, maintaining peak performance is not always guaranteed. As a coach, it’s immensely gratifying to assist players in unlocking their full potential. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with the individual players and the team, facilitating their growth and development,” he added.