Kirsten named Pakistan's ODI and T20I coach, Gillespie for Tests

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the appointment of Gary Kirsten, a World Cup-winning coach, as the new head coach for ODIs and T20Is, while former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie will take the reins for Test cricket.

Azhar Mahmood, a former Pakistan allrounder, has been named as the assistant coach across all formats.

"The appointment of (Gary) Kirsten and (Jason) Gillespie, who are high-profile coaches, shows how much value is given to the Pakistan cricket team and how much potential foreign coaches see in our players," said PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi during a media conference.

"We want to give the team the best facilities, and that is why we have gone for Kirsten and Gillespie," he added.

Kirsten is expected to take charge during Pakistan's tour of England from May 22, which includes four T20Is, followed by the T20 World Cup in June.

Pakistan had been searching for a full-time head coach since the end of the last year's World Cup, where they failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Following their disappointing performance in the tournament, Pakistan sacked their entire coaching staff, including head coach Grant Bradburn, team director Mickey Arthur, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and batting coach Andrew Puttick.

Babar Azam was removed from the captaincy, with Shaheen Shah Afridi taking over in white-ball cricket and Shan Masood leading the Test side. However, after a poor series against Australia, Muhammad Hafeez's guiding role was short-lived.

Despite approaching notable names like Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson, Pakistan struggled to find a permanent head coach until finalizing Kirsten and Gillespie.

Naqvi explained the decision to opt for foreign coaches, citing the need for expertise outside the country due to some fitness issues within the team.

(PTI)