After early exit from T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan cricket is in headlines again. The PCB is in search of their next Test head coach, with the role remaining vacant since Azhar Mahmood stepped down last year.
Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed is likely to take over as the team’s red-ball coach and is expected to begin his tenure with the Test series against Bangladesh in May, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle.
Sarfaraz was serving as the head-coach of Pakistan Shaheens (Pakistan’s ‘A’ team) in their ODI and T20 series against England Lions in the UAE, a tour that was eventually abandoned midway because of rising security concerns amid the Middle East conflict.
Sarfaraz Ahmed led Pakistan to their memorable 2017 Champions Trophy triumph, guiding the team to victory over India in the final. Over the course of his international career from 2007 to 2023, he has featured in 54 Tests, 117 ODIs and 61 T20Is for Pakistan.
Pakistan began their ICC World Test Championship cycle at home against South Africa last October under Azhar Mahmood, with the two-match series ending in a 1-1 draw. With one win and one loss so far, Pakistan are currently placed fifth in the WTC standings.
Pakistan’s Bangladesh ODI tour in doubt amid US-Iran tensions
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s upcoming three-match ODI series in Bangladesh is also in jeopardy because of the US-Iran conflict. Pakistani media reports suggest that the series will only take place if there are no issues regarding travel and safety concerns. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also claimed that they have not yet received any official information regarding the postponement of the series from Pakistan.
“If this comes to a stage where they can’t travel, then we cannot do anything. But so far we haven’t received any correspondence from PCB in that regard” BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin told Cricbuzz.
The ODI series is scheduled to begin on March 11, with all three matches set to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
On the other hand, the Pakistan cricket team’s bid for the ongoing T20 World Cup ended at the Super 8 stage, and it seems the cricket board is not happy with the performance of the players. It has been reported by various news agencies that the players might be fined for the poor performance.