LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to appoint former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as the new head coach of the national Test team, with an official announcement expected in the coming days.
Sources said that Sarfaraz will begin his tenure during Pakistan’s upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh in May, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2027 cycle. The Test head coach position has remained vacant since Azhar Mahmood’s departure in October 2025. Mahmood had been appointed interim head coach in June 2025, overseeing Pakistan’s home series against South Africa, which ended in a 1-1 draw against the reigning world Test champions. With no red-ball assignments scheduled until 2026, Mahmood and the PCB mutually agreed to conclude his tenure earlier than planned.
Sarfaraz’s elevation comes on the back of his recent stint as mentor of Pakistan’s Under-19 side, which clinched the ACC U19 Asia Cup 2025 after defeating India in the final. Although the team fell short at the ICC U19 World Cup 2026, exiting at the Super Six stage, his leadership was widely praised.
Currently, Sarfaraz is working with the Pakistan Shaheens, who are engaged in a series against the England Lions in the UAE. His growing involvement in developmental cricket has strengthened his case for a senior coaching role.
A seasoned wicketkeeper-batter, the 38-year-old Sarfaraz had an extensive international career: Tests: 54 matches, 3,031 runs at an average of 37.41, including 4 centuries and 21 fifties. ODIs: 117 matches, 2,315 runs at 33.55, with 2 centuries and 11 fifties. T20Is: 61 matches, 818 runs at a strike rate of 125.26, including 3 fifties.
As captain, Sarfaraz boasts an impressive record by leading Pakistan to victory in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, defeating India by 180 runs in the final. Also guided the team to a 62.5% win rate in the 2019 Cricket World Cup. and recorded a 78.37% win rate in T20Is, winning 29 out of 37 matches.
