Former cricket player Mohammad Hafeez has been appointed as the “Director of Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team” by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) amidst a significant reorganization of the Pakistan cricket team.
Mickey Arthur has been replaced by Hafeez, who was appointed just hours after Babar Azam resigned as the captain of the national team in all three formats, declining the PCB’s invitation to continue leading the team in Test matches. The team’s poor performance in the Asia Cup and early elimination from the current World Cup 2023, where the Men in Green were unable to advance to the semifinals, has drawn criticism from the board, the team management, and the captain.
According to the PCB release, “Mohammad Hafeez, a former Test captain, has been appointed as the Director of the Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team.” The statement also mentioned, “Hafeez was a recent member of the PCB Cricket Technical Committee.” The coaching staff’s portfolio has also undergone modifications by the board in the meantime.
The PCB stated, “All coaches will continue to work at the National Cricket Academy,” adding that the announcement of the new coaching staff for the forthcoming series in Australia and New Zealand would happen soon. Previously, the board named Shan Masood as the Test captain and Shaheen Shah Afridi as the T20Is captain after Azam decided to resign from his position as team captain following a meeting with Zaka Ashraf, the chairman of the PCB Management Committee.
Masood will lead the side until the completion of the 2023–25 ICC World Test Championship; the three-match “away” Test series against Australia begins on December 14. Concurrently, Saheen, the newly appointed captain for the Twenty20 format, has guided the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League and has contributed to the team’s double-win in the 2022 and 2023 editions. Regarding the 29-year-old’s choice to step down from his role, the board expressed, “The PCB acknowledges his decision and remains committed to backing him in his capacity as a player.”
Ashraf praised Babar as one of Pakistan’s finest batsmen, emphasizing his significance as an asset to the team. Ashraf expressed the team’s unwavering support for Babar, highlighting the belief in his potential to become an outstanding batter.
Acknowledging the relief from the captaincy responsibilities, Ashraf stated that this change allows Babar to concentrate more on enhancing his on-field performance. He concluded by affirming the team’s respect for Babar’s decision and their commitment to stand behind him.
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