Azhar Mahmood (Getty Images) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has parted ways with national Test team head coach Azhar Mahmood, sacking him three months before the expiry of his contract. The move signals another reset in Pakistan’s red-ball set-up as the board plans to plan for the ongoing Test World Cup cycle.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Mahmood’s contract was due to run until March 2026, but he was granted an early release with Pakistan not playing another Test until the same month. “With Azhar’s contract ending in March and Pakistan’s Test duties starting in March 2026, it would be best if the board starts planning ahead for a new head coach,” a source close to the PCB said, according to a report by news agency PTI.
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Mahmood, a former Pakistan all-rounder, has worked with the national side in various roles over the past few years and was appointed Test head coach on a two-year contract last year. His departure continues a period of instability in Pakistan’s Test coaching set-up, which has seen frequent changes since the start of 2024.According to the report, the PCB has already started the search for a new Test head coach, while a wider overhaul of the support staff is also on the table. Pakistan’s World Test Championship campaign continues in March 2026 with a tour of Bangladesh, followed by away series in the West Indies in July and England in August-September. Home series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand are scheduled for November-December 2026 and March 2027.The Test side largely operated under interim arrangements, with Aaqib Javed and Mahmood sharing responsibilities after the PCB and Australian coach Jason Gillespie parted ways in early 2024 over selection differences.
