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LAHORE: Azhar Mahmood’s stint as head coach of Pakistan’s Test team has come to an end following a mutual decision between the former allrounder and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), ESPNcricinfo reported on Wednesday.
Azhar was appointed acting head coach of the Test side in June this year, with his contract originally scheduled to run until March 2026. However, with Pakistan not scheduled to play any Test matches until an away series against Bangladesh in March-April next year, both parties agreed to conclude the arrangement earlier than planned.
The decision brings to a close a longer association between Azhar and the national team. He was first appointed as an all-formats assistant coach in April 2024, supporting Gary Kirsten with Pakistan’s white-ball teams and Jason Gillespie with the red-ball side. Earlier that same month, Azhar also oversaw a white-ball series in an interim coaching role.
During his tenure as acting head coach, Azhar was in charge for only one Test assignment, overseeing a 1-1 drawn home series against world Test champions South Africa, a result viewed positively by the PCB and observers.
“I was appointed by the PCB for a specific tenure, during which I carried out my responsibilities with professionalism and dedication,” Azhar told ESPNcricinfo. “My contract has now come to an end, and I extend my best wishes to the team for their continued success in their future endeavours.”
This marked Azhar’s second spell with the Pakistan setup. He previously served as the national team’s bowling coach during Mickey Arthur’s tenure between 2016 and 2019.
Azhar is currently employed as fast-bowling coach with Desert Vipers, who are top of the table in the ILT20 league, and a return to franchise cricket in coaching roles is considered likely. He has previously worked as head coach of Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League and as an assistant coach at Surrey before rejoining the Pakistan team.
His departure adds to the ongoing churn in Pakistan’s coaching structure. While there is no immediate urgency due to the lack of Test cricket in the coming months, the PCB will eventually begin the search for its eighth head coach of the Test side since 2021. That period has also seen multiple structural changes in the management framework, including stints when Mohammad Hafeez served as team director and when Grant Bradburn held the coach’s role while Mickey Arthur operated as team director.
