Cricket

Aaqib Javed Set to Take Over as Pakistan's White-Ball Head CoachFormer Pakistan pacer and current national selector Aaqib Javed is poised to be appointed as the permanent head coach for Pakistan's white-ball formats. The appointment is expected to be finalized before the team's upcoming tour of Zimbabwe for a series of ODIs and T20Is.According to reliable sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Javed, who was initially hesitant to take on the coaching role, has been persuaded by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to assume the responsibility. The Pakistan squad will depart for Harare directly from Australia after their final T20I on Monday, and the new head coach will join them in Zimbabwe.Javed, who currently serves as the senior national selector, possesses extensive coaching experience. He has led the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and recently served as the bowling coach of Sri Lanka. He has also held the positions of bowling coach for Pakistan and head coach of the under-19 side in the past.The PCB initially sought to appoint Australian Jason Gillespie, the Test side's coach, as the white-ball head coach as well. However, Gillespie declined the offer to prioritize time with his family. He was subsequently asked to serve as the interim coach for the white-ball series in Australia after South Africa's Gary Kirsten resigned before the tour.After the Zimbabwe tour, Pakistan will travel to South Africa for a white-ball series and two Tests before returning home in January.

Jason Gillespie's tenure as Pakistan's head coach is set to end abruptly, with Aaqib Javed poised to take over across all formats. This latest coaching shakeup underscores the ongoing instability within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).Gillespie, who currently serves as Test coach and interim white-ball coach, is expected to be relieved of all duties. Aaqib, recently appointed convenor of the men's cricket selection committee, is the frontrunner to replace him.The decision, which could be announced as early as Monday, stems from Gillespie's refusal to take on additional white-ball responsibilities without a contract amendment. The PCB, however, maintains that Gillespie's lack of time spent in Pakistan is the primary reason for his departure.Gillespie contends that he has fulfilled his contractual obligations and has even worked without pay on the Shaheens tour of Darwin. The PCB's insistence on his physical presence in Pakistan raises questions about the board's priorities, given the team's upcoming schedule.After Gillespie's departure, the PCB initially considered elevating Azhar Mahmood or reappointing Saqlain Mushtaq. However, Aaqib emerged as the preferred candidate, with the PCB offering him the role until the end of the Champions Trophy.Gillespie's tenure has been marked by both highs and lows. Pakistan suffered a humiliating 2-0 home defeat to Bangladesh but rebounded with a 2-1 triumph over England. Gillespie also oversaw Pakistan's first series victory in Australia in 22 years.Aaqib's appointment marks a rapid rise for the former coach and director of cricket operations at Lahore Qalandars. He is credited with implementing spin-friendly wickets against England, which proved decisive in Pakistan's series win.Pakistan faces a packed cricket schedule in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, including white-ball matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa, as well as Test matches against West Indies. Aaqib will be tasked with guiding the team through this challenging period.

Pakistan's recent Test series against England has been a tale of dramatic twists and turns, with the home side orchestrating a remarkable turnaround after a disastrous start. The key to their resurgence lies in a controversial decision to reuse a heavily spin-friendly pitch from the first Test in Multan, a move that has sparked both praise and criticism.After a humiliating defeat in the first Test, Pakistan's selection panel, led by former fast bowler Aleem Dar, devised a plan to create conditions that would favor their spinners. They consulted with Aaqib Javed, a former coach and current selector, who became the driving force behind the decision to reuse the Multan pitch.Despite objections from captain Shan Masood and head coach Jason Gillespie, the selectors pressed ahead with their plan. They recalled veteran spinner Sajid Khan and brought in Noman Ali, a left-arm spinner who had been out of the national team for several years.The pitch preparation was meticulous, with giant fans and heaters used to dry out the surface and induce spin. The result was a pitch that resembled a "sheet of glass," according to Dar.The gamble paid off as Sajid and Noman ripped through England's batting lineup, taking 10 wickets between them in the second innings of the second Test. The series turned on a dime, and Pakistan went on to win the third Test in Rawalpindi, where they again prepared a heavily spin-friendly pitch.The decision to reuse the Multan pitch has been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised the selectors for their bold move, while others have criticized it as unfair to England. However, the results speak for themselves: Pakistan has won two consecutive Tests and is now level in the series.The turnaround has also highlighted the growing influence of Aaqib Javed, who has emerged as the de facto leader of Pakistan cricket. He has resigned from his role at Lahore Qalandars to focus on his new responsibilities as a selector and coach.Pakistan's success has been built on the individual brilliance of players like Sajid and Noman, but it has also been a team effort. The batters have shown resilience in difficult conditions, and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan has been outstanding.The series has been played in a positive spirit, with England refraining from complaining about the pitches. However, the controversy surrounding the Multan pitch is likely to continue as the series reaches its conclusion.

Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali has expressed concern over the delay in announcing the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) squad for the upcoming tour of Australia. Ali, who played alongside Aaqib Javed, the head of the PCB's new selection panel, urged Javed to announce the team promptly.Ali, known as "Chocolaty" to Javed, emphasized the importance of announcing the squad before the third Test match against England, scheduled to begin on October 24 in Rawalpindi. He expressed concern that the PCB's current establishment, which he believes has favored certain individuals, may not support Javed's decisions."I pray that you continue to receive the support of the chairman, Mohsin Naqvi," Ali said. "But keep your eyes open. The talks that I have heard can hurt."Ali also urged Javed to intervene if Fakhar Zaman, who publicly backed former captain Babar Azam after his omission from the Test squad, faces sanctions from the PCB. Zaman received a show-cause notice from the PCB for his comments, but he defended his actions, stating that he felt compelled to speak out."Do send Fakhar Zaman (to Australia)," Ali said. "If there is an action taken (by PCB) against Fakhar Zaman, you should intervene."Ali's advice comes amid ongoing speculation about the future of Babar Azam, who was dropped from the Test squad despite being Pakistan's captain in all three formats. The decision has sparked controversy, with many fans and experts questioning the rationale behind it.The PCB has yet to announce the squad for the Australia tour, which is scheduled to begin on November 4. The series will feature three ODIs and three T20Is.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has undergone a significant overhaul of its men's selection committee, appointing four new voting members: Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali, and Hasan Cheema. This move comes just over 10 days after Mohammad Yousuf's resignation from the panel.The appointments mark the latest restructuring of the selection committee, which has seen several changes this year. Notably, coaches will no longer have a say in squad selection. Asad Shafiq and Cheema were already part of the committee, but Cheema has now been granted voting rights.The selection panel was initially restructured earlier this year under PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, with no chief selector appointed. However, Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq were sacked after Pakistan's early exit from the T20 World Cup in June, without any replacements named. Yousuf's resignation at the end of last month also left Shafiq as the only voting member outside of the captains and coaches.The appointment of the new voting members comes shortly after Pakistan's innings-and-47-run defeat to England in the first Test in Multan. This loss made Pakistan the first team in Test history to lose a match by an innings after scoring over 550 runs in their first innings.As a result of this defeat, Pakistan has slipped to the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table with only 16 points from eight games. The team's performance has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the selection committee and the overall direction of Pakistan cricket.The PCB's decision to appoint four new voting members is an attempt to address these concerns and improve the team's performance. The new members bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the committee, and their input is expected to be valuable in selecting the best possible squads for upcoming matches.