The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is allegedly looking for a way to participate with the interim test coach Azhar Mahmood, but is facing challenges due to a contract signed under the previous administration. According to a PTI report, Mahmood continues to work as an interim head coach of Pakistan’s Test team.
Mahmood has been serving as Pakistan’s All-Format Assistant Coach since April 2024. He was recently appointed as an interim head coach. The PCB stated that the former all-rounder will remain in his role until his contract ends in March 2026, but the situation seems more complex than the situation.
Azhar Mahmud’s contract stops quick dismissal
The Pakistan Cricket Board is facing a major obstacle in farewell methods with Azhar Mahmood due to an expensive contract signed by previous administration. In particular, the board has to pay equal to six months’ salary, approximately PKR 45 million (USD 160,000) for initial termination.
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Azhar, who allegedly earns PKR 7.5 million per month in US dollars, is one of the most paid coaches in the country’s cricket history. Although he offered to change the U19 team to reduce the situation, the proposal was rejected.
The source said, “This is why PCB recently nominated him as an interim head coach of the National Red-Ball team, until his contract ended next year in April-May,” the source said.
Mike Hessen declined to include Azhar Mahmood in assistant employees
Mike Hessen, head coach of the newly appointed White-Ball, refused to include Azhar Mahmood among his assistant employees. Azhar was assured during the tenure of Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespi that he would eventually be promoted as a head coach. The PCB should now get a role to justify his high salary for Azhar.
“The problem arose when Mike Hessen, the recently appointed White-Ball Head Coach clarified that he would have his own assistant employees and Azhar was not in his selection.”
The source said, “It left the PCB with a major problem to use Azhar’s expertise to pay him such a beautiful salary, as if they wanted them to not issue it without six months compensation.”
Azhar Mahmood PCB work, unhappy with the role of internal opposition block junior team
Azhar Mahmud is dissatisfied with the current functioning of PCB. He expressed interest in working with the national junior team, but internal opposition has stopped his revaluation.
Former Pesar Aakib Javed, a selector and head of the National Cricket Academy, is said to be unaffected by Azhar’s coaching point of view. To continue its ongoing contract, PCB has temporarily appointed Azhar as the interim head coach of the Test team.
“(East Paper) Aqib Javed, who is now a selector and head of the National Cricket Academy and close to the chairman of the board, is not influenced by his (Azhar’s) coaching style. But to justify his contract for time, he named him as an interim head coach of the test side.”
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