The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to retain Shan Masood as Pakistan’s Test captain, while former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed is set to be appointed as the national team’s head coach for the red-ball format, sources said.
According to informed sources, the PCB will formally announce both the captaincy and coaching appointments after unveiling the schedule for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.
Sarfaraz Ahmed is poised to take over as head coach for the first time, replacing Azhar Mahmood. The move signals a shift in the team’s red-ball setup as Pakistan prepares for a busy Test calendar.
Sources added that Shan Masood has already been performing leadership responsibilities within the squad, and the decision to retain him as captain aligns with the board’s policy of ensuring consistency in the longer format.
Pakistan is scheduled to play three upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, West Indies and England. The team’s most recent outing in the format came against South Africa in October, where the series ended in a 1-1 draw.
Meanwhile, the PCB continues with separate leadership structures in white-ball cricket. New Zealand’s Mike Hesson serves as the head coach for limited-overs formats, while Shaheen Shah Afridi leads the ODI side and Salman Ali Agha captains the T20 team.
