Akmal Blasts PCB's Azhar Mahmood Appointment, Cites Instability and Lack of Logic

Former Pakistani cricketer Kamran Akmal has unleashed a fierce critique of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), questioning the appointment of Azhar Mahmood as the interim coach for the Test team.

Pakistan finished at the bottom in the previous WTC cycle.

Akmal voiced his concerns on 'The Game Plan' podcast, stating, "I just don’t understand the logic behind this decision. It’s exactly like the time PCB made Mickey Arthur director of cricket while allowing him to continue working with a county team." He emphasized his past confusion with similar decisions, adding, "I couldn’t understand it then, and I can’t understand it now."

Azhar Mahmood's appointment marks him as Pakistan's seventh Test head coach since 2021, succeeding Aaqib Javed. Akmal highlighted the instability caused by frequent changes in leadership. "That role (Arthur’s) has continued, and it has brought many issues into Pakistan cricket. The same thing is now happening with the interim coaching setup. Before this, it was Aaqib Javed, then Mohammad Hafeez and now Azhar,” he explained.

He believes such choices reflect a lack of seriousness within the board. "These decisions reflect a lack of seriousness. When the PCB starts thinking seriously and acting professionally, it won’t have to make such compromises or temporary appointments," Akmal asserted.

The interim nature of Azhar’s role places Pakistan in a precarious position as they embark on the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The team's performance in the previous cycle was dismal, with only five wins out of 14 matches, landing them at the bottom of the table. Following a series against Sri Lanka, Pakistan faces a challenging three-Test tour of England, their only three-match series in this WTC cycle and their first Test tour of England since 2020.

Akmal questioned the purpose of an interim appointment, stating, “Everyone has been appeased, and now Azhar has also been rewarded. If you’ve made him head coach, then give him the full time and responsibility. Otherwise, what’s the point?”