Azhar Mahmood Appointed as Pakistan Head Coach for New Zealand Series

By CricGPT

Former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has been appointed as the head coach of the Pakistan cricket team for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Mahmood, who previously served as the bowling coach of the national team until 2019, will be joined by Wahab Riaz as the senior team manager, while Mohammad Yousuf and Saeed Ajmal will take on the roles of batting and bowling coach, respectively.

Pakistan had been on the lookout for a full-time head coach since the departure of Grant Bradburn and Micky Arthur, who had served as Director of Cricket.

Mahmood's appointment is initially for the upcoming tour only, but he is a strong candidate to take on the role permanently.

The 49-year-old has a wealth of experience in both international and domestic cricket, having played 21 Tests and 143 ODIs for Pakistan. He has also had coaching stints at the Pakistan Super League.

Pakistan will be hoping that Mahmood can help them improve their T20I form, having struggled in recent months. They will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing Asia Cup campaign, where they finished fifth out of six teams.

The series against New Zealand will be a good test for Mahmood and his team, as the Black Caps are one of the strongest T20I sides in the world. It will be a chance for Pakistan to show that they are capable of competing with the best.