Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed the team management for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand with former pacer Azhar Mahmood being named as the head coach.
The matches will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 18-27 April.
Azhar represented Pakistan in 164 internationals, taking 162 wickets and scoring 2,421 runs. Azhar’s previous assignment with the Pakistan men’s cricket team was from 2016-2019 when he was the bowling coach.
Meanwhile, Wahab Riaz has been named as the senior team manager, while Mohammad Yousuf will be the batting coach. Saeed Ajmal, who was the bowling coach on the last tours of Australia and New Zealand, will continue as the spin bowling coach.
Pakistan team player support personnel
Wahab Riaz (senior team manager), Mansoor Rana (team manager), Azhar Mahmood (head coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Saeed Ajmal (spin bowling coach), Aftab Khan (field coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saiman (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Butt (analyst), Irtiza Komail (security manager), Raza Kitchlew (media and digital manager), Zain Maqsood (videographer), Dr Khurram Sarwar (doctor), and Mohammad Imran (masseur).
Meanwhile, PCB confirmed that the team for the New Zealand series will be named on Tuesday, 9 April, at 12:45 in the media conference room at the Gaddafi Stadium.
The squad will assemble in Islamabad on April 14 ahead of the series against New Zealand.
Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan Niazi, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Zaman Khan are expected to be part of the squad.
Agha Salman, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Abbas Afridi are also likely to be included in the 18-member contingent.
One of Abrar Ahmed and Usama Mir will also be included in the squad for the series.
Pacer Haris Rauf, who suffered a shoulder injury during Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine, isn’t fully fit and won’t be part of the squad.
The two teams will play three T20Is at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on 18, 20 and 21 April. Following that, both sides will move to Lahore, where they will play the remaining two T20Is of the series on 25 and 27 April, respectively.
On the other hand, the New Zealand squad, led by Micael Bracewell, will depart for Pakistan on Friday (April 12).
Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner and Kane Williamson won’t feature in the series due to Indian Premier League commitments.
New Zealand T20I squad for Pakistan tour
Michael Bracewell (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (WK), Ish Sodhi
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