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Pakistan’s acting head Test coach, Azhar Mehmood ends his stint with the side after a brief period. After being appointed in June 2025, his contract was due to run until March 2026, however, a mutual decision was made to end his stint earlier.
Azhar was at the helm for just one series, which was the 1-1 draw against South Africa in the recently concluded test series.
Azhar Mehmood ends his stint: his story and what he said
Upon being questioned regarding his parting ways, the former all-rounder talked about how he carried out his job with professionalism and dedication. He also extended his best wishes to the Pakistan test side.
This happened to be his second tenure with the national team, initially serving as a bowling coach during Mickey Arthur’s tenure, between 2016 and 2019.
The 50-year-old has been involved on the coaching front in the PSL as well, being named the Islamabad United head coach for season 7, followed by a period where he was also the bowling coach of the same franchise in 2024.
He was also Pakistan’s coach for the T20 series against New Zealand at home in April 2024 which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Initially, he was named as an assistant coach for Jason Gillespie in tests and Gary Kirsten in white-ball cricket. Upon Gillespie’s resignation in December 2024, PCB appointed Azhar as the acting head coach of the red-ball format, following a period of instability.
What’s next for Azhar Mehmood and Pakistan?
Pakistan will now be on the lookout for an 8th head coach since 2021 of their test side, hence continuing the churn in the national team’s management.
On the bright side of things, the PCB will have ample time on its hands to choose the best candidate for the job as Pakistan’s next test series is away from home against Bangladesh in March 2026, before which the T20 World Cup will take place. Meanwhile, Azhar Mehmood ends his stint but continues to be involved in the coaching setup in leagues, currently serving as the bowling coach of the Desert Vipers in the ongoing ILT20, where the team has won 6 out of 7 matches and already qualified for the knockout stages.
The former all-rounder may also return to coaching capacities in the next season of PSL, with a return to Islamabad United likely, after they had to part ways with Azhar before PSL 10 began.
