Bangladesh Coach Open To Join Pakistan Team, Refers To PCB As Biggest Obstacle

PCB gets an offer from Bangladesh coach [Source: AFP]

Pakistan cricket is in shambles at the moment. Prior to the drawn Test series against West Indies, the Pakistani team had succumbed to a two-nil defeat on their Bangladesh tour. And, as it seems, another whitewash is likely on the horizon for them, considering they are trailing 0-2 in an away three-match series to England.

After the defeat at Lord’s last week, the PCB released seven players from the Pakistan Test squad midway into the series. The Mohsin Naqvi-led body also sacked head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul to make way for Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke respectively.

Having become the “laughing stock” of world cricket, the PCB has just received an indirect coaching offer from Pakistan’s legendary spinner and current Bangladesh spin coach Mushtaq Ahmed.

Mushtaq Ahmed open to coach Pakistan, but PCB factor “scares him”

Bangladesh bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed has said that he is open to coach the Pakistan cricket team. However, the former cricketer admitted that he would feel scared of losing his post, thus taking a direct dig at the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB for making frequent changes to the coaching staff. 

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While speaking on the BBC Stumped Podcast, Mushtaq Ahmed said, “I would love to do that for my country, of course. Especially at this time. Obviously, I need only one thing. Sometimes you get scared of working for your own country when the people don’t respect you and they sack you because of a few emotional decisions here and there. When you see those things, people getting sacked on a tour, you get worried and scared.”

Mushtaq Ahmed calls out PCB for releasing players, sacking coaches midway on England tour

Shortly after Pakistan’s second Test defeat to England in just four days at Lord’s last week, the PCB released seven players from the squad, including wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, opener Imam-ul-Haq and interim captain Salman Agha.

In turn, the PCB recalled Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal as well as five uncapped players as replacement. Moreover, the board also appointed Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke as the new head coach and bowling coach midway through the series after sacking Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul.

For nearly revamping the Pakistan squad just before the third Test, Mushtaq Ahmed called out the PCB for taking decisions in haste, and claimed that the board should have waited at least for the tour to conclude first.

He said, “Changing seven players and the management, especially with the tour still going on, I feel that this is not the right thing. This has never happened in Pakistan cricket before. Obviously, I’m hurt as an ex-cricketer, as a Pakistani, these things should not happen. Sarfaraz and Umar Gul, they are some of the most experienced cricketers. If you want to sack them, obviously you have to sack them after the tour.”

PCB and its penchant for changing coaches

Incidentally, this is not the first time that the PCB has sacked its head coach in haste. Seemingly desperate for desired results from the Pakistan cricket team, the board has developed a reputation for frequently changing coaches whenever the team fails to deliver.

In the last couple of years itself, Pakistan cricket has become a cesspool of revolving coaches, with the PCB repeatedly chopping and changing the coaching staff in its desperate pursuit of results.

For starters, back in 2024, both Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie tendered their resignation as Pakistan head coach, citing differences with the PCB.

That same year, former Pakistan cricketers Azhar Mahmood and Aaqib Javed also coached the national side in various stages. Mahmood returned on an interim basis in mid-2025, before Sarfaraz Ahmed helmed the side for a few months. Notably, the Pakistan cricket team has had as many as 11 coaches since 2021.

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