The Pakistan Cricket Board has named Sarfaraz Ahmed as the new head coach for the men’s national Test squad. He will receive assistance from former colleagues Asad Shafiq, who takes on the role of batting coach, and Umar Gul, appointed as bowling coach.
This decision follows the conclusion of Azhar Mahmood’s time as head coach in December.
This marks Sarfaraz’s initial foray into coaching the senior men’s side. The 38-year-old represented Pakistan between 2007 and 2023, with a standout achievement being his leadership in securing the 2017 Champions Trophy victory against rivals India at Lord’s. Overall, he participated in 54 Test matches, 117 one-day internationals, and 61 T20 internationals.
The announcement precedes Pakistan’s upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh. The opening match is set for May 8 to 12 at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, followed by the second from May 16 to 20 at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
During Pakistan’s previous Test visit to Bangladesh in 2024, the home team achieved a landmark 2-0 series triumph.
The board has also announced a 16-player roster for the series, captained by Shan Masood. Notable inclusions are the comeback of 36-year-old pace bowler Mohammad Abbas and four debutants.
Abbas last featured in a Test in January 2025 against South Africa in Cape Town. The newcomers are Abdullah Fazal, Azan Awais, Ghazi Ghori, and Amad Butt.
The selection panel has excluded spinners Asif Afridi and Abrar Ahmed, opener Abdullah Shafique, batsman Kamran Ghulam, and wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir from the group that competed in the recent two-Test home series against South Africa in October.
Pakistan Test Squad:
Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
