Lahore. Former Pakistan captain and newly appointed team director Mohammad Hafeez has been made the head coach of the cricket team for the tour of Australia and New Zealand. Pakistan has to play three Tests against Australia and five T20s with New Zealand in December and January. Hafeez has been a part of the Pakistan team till two years ago and has no coaching experience.
Earlier, Babar Azam had resigned from the captaincy post in all three formats after poor performance in the World Cup and Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood were made the captains of T20 and Test team respectively. At the same time, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had made Hafeez the team director and said that the role of the coaching staff would be decided again.
It was also said that neither Arthur nor Bradburn would tour Australia with the team. To some extent, it became clear that now Hafeez is the head coach of the team at least for the upcoming two tours. However, the post of chief selector is still vacant and it is believed that former fast bowler Wahab Riaz is the main contender for it. Pakistan is scheduled to leave for Australia tour on November 30, where they have their first practice match against Prime Minister’s XI from December 6 to 9. The first Test of the three-Test series will begin in Perth on December 14.
