Basit Ali Voices Concerns Over Azhar Mahmood’s Appointment as Acting Red-Ball Coach

Following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection of Azhar Mahmood as the men’s acting red-ball head coach, former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali has shared some intriguing perspectives regarding this decision.

The PCB officially announced Mahmood’s appointment on Monday, confirming that the 50-year-old will take on the role until his existing contract concludes in April 2026.

Mahmood, who initially signed a two-year agreement with the PCB in April 2024, has previously contributed to the national team as an assistant coach.

Pakistan is scheduled to commence their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 campaign under his guidance, beginning with a two-match home series against South Africa in October-November, followed by a two-match away series against Bangladesh in March-April 2026.

Ali, while appearing on a local digital platform, mentioned that Misbah-ul-Haq was originally considered for the head coach position.

However, shifting dynamics within the PCB, specifically support from Director of High Performance Aqib Javed and T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, reportedly influenced the selection of Mahmood.

“Misbah was on the verge of being appointed head coach, but circumstances shifted. Given Javed’s input and Captain Salman Ali Agha’s perspective, Mahmood was ultimately chosen as the red-ball coach—this information is reliable. Otherwise, Misbah had been finalized,” Basit remarked.

“Mahmood secured the interim coach position due to Agha’s endorsement. Certain aspects require discretion; we must be mindful of what we openly discuss,” he elaborated.

Ali also voiced criticism regarding the PCB’s inconsistent methodology in coaching appointments, raising questions about the considerable delay in making the official announcement and the apparent disparity in how previous mentors were managed upon their departure.

“Concerning the prolonged delay—Mahmood’s contract extends until April 2026, but the mentors were also given three-year contracts. What prompted their removal and compensation?” he questioned.

He emphasized the significance of maintaining consistency and impartiality in decision-making, asserting that if premature terminations were deemed suitable in specific instances, the same standard should be universally applied.

“A standard of fairness should apply uniformly. The mentors were not permitted to fulfill their three-year tenure. If the intention was to dismiss them, the same approach could have been taken here—provide one or two months’ compensation and conclude the engagement,” he concluded.