Former Champions Trophy captain Sarfaraz Ahmed will take charge of Pakistan’s red-ball set-up ahead of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh in the ICC World Test Championship. The Pakistan Cricket Board also confirmed that former Test cricketers Umar Gul and Asad Shafiq will join the coaching staff as bowling and batting coaches.
Sarfaraz, who famously led Pakistan to the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017 with a dominant victory over India, also led the country to the Under-19 World Cup in 2006. In recent months, he has remained closely linked with Development Path of Pakistanserving as mentor/manager of the Pakistan U19 side that won the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup five months ago. Earlier this year, he also took on a similar role with the Pakistan Shaheens during their series against the England Lions, further strengthening his credentials in a leadership and mentoring capacity.
Meanwhile, Gul brings vast international experience having represented Pakistan in 237 matches across formats, including 47 Tests, taking an impressive 427 wickets. Appointed batting coach, Shafiq has enjoyed his own distinguished career, featuring in 147 internationals, including 77 Tests. He has amassed 6,188 runs, scored 12 centuries and 36 half-centuries throughout his career, making him one of Pakistan’s most reliable middle-order batsmen in the longer format.
The announcement coincided with the naming of a 16-man squad for the Test series to be played in May. The board confirmed that Shan Masood will continue to lead the side which also includes four uncapped players – Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori.
“The players will undergo a preparatory camp in Karachi and will assemble on Monday, April 27. The camp will conclude on May 1, with the team scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on May 2. Players currently participating in the HBL Pakistan Super League will join the camp after committing to the respective team. Those whose teams qualify for the finals will travel directly to Bangladesh after the tournament,” an official statement said. after the tournament.
The last time the two teams faced each other in a Test series, Bangladesh achieved a historic 2-0 win against a side led by Shane Massod, marking their first ever series win against Pakistan. Bangladesh, the visitors, won the first Test by 10 wickets and the second by 6 wickets, both in Rawalpindi.
16 MEMBER TEAM:
Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Shajid Shajid Aghael, Afridi.
TEAM LEADERSHIP:
Naveed Akram Cheema (Manager), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Head Coach), Asad Shafiq (Batting Coach), Umar Gul (Bowling Coach), Abdul Saad (Fielding Coach), Cliffe Deacon (Physiotherapist), Grant Luden (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Usman Hashmi (Analyst), Syed Naeem Lhmad. (Media Manager), Anwar Ahmad. (media manager) manager), Dr. Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur).
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Published on:
18 Apr 2026 15:00 IST
