The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to appoint renowned Australian fielding specialist Shane McDermott as an all-format fielding coach, Telecom Asia Sport reported.
According to the report, an official announcement of the decision is expected soon.
The decision came after the departure of Mohammad Masroor as head coach of the national team. He was appointed on a series-to-series basis in October 2024.
Mohammad Masroor confirmed the decision via a social media post, expressing gratitude for his time with the Pakistan team.
“Thank you to the players who trusted, the staff who supported, and the fans who believed. Behind every catch taken, every game won was a group of men who believed,” he wrote.
Now, McDermott, who has extensive experience, is set to hold the position. His past experience includes coaching teams such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cricket Australia, the Western Australia Cricket Association, and Cricket Tasmania.
Previously, Shane McDermott served as Assistant Fielding Coach with the Bangladesh team between 2022 and 2023. Before that, the 44-year-old spent three years as the fielding coach of Sri Lanka’s team and also coached the Sri Lanka A side during his tenure.
At the start of his career, he held various positions at Cricket Australia. The roles included interim Assistant Fielding Coach and interim National A Team Analyst and Fielding Coach.
For context, Pakistan is set to play crucial matches in the forthcoming months, starting with the series against Bangladesh. The Green Shirts will play three matches against the Tigers, followed by a T20I series against West Indies in the Caribbean.
After that, Pakistan will feature in the Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to be played in September and hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has approved a budget estimate of Rs 18.3 billion for the financial year 2025-26 during its 78th Board of Governors (BoG) meeting held on Thursday here at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
The 78th BoG meeting was chaired by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
During the meeting, the Board unanimously approved the estimated budget of Rs18.3 billion for the financial year 2025–26. The members also expressed satisfaction over the utilization of the 2024–25 budget and formally ratified the decisions taken in the previous board meeting.
In a bid to promote cricket at the grassroots level, the Board decided to annually reward the best-performing region. Additionally, it was resolved that staff performance will be regularly monitored.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Javed Murtaza briefed the members on the key features of the new budget.
Among those in attendance were PCB BoG members Zaheer Abbas, Sajjad Ali Khokhar, Zafarullah, Tariq Sarwar, and PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sameer Ahmed.
Additionally, PSL CEO Salman Naseer, Director Media and Communications Aamer Mir, Director Domestic Cricket Abdullah Khurram Niazi, and Head of Women’s Cricket Rafia Haider also participated in the meeting.
Other members including Anwar Ghani, Mustafa Ramday, Daniyal Gilani, Anwar Ahmed Khan, Dr. Shafi-ur-Rehman, and Director International Cricket Usman Wahla attended the meeting via video link.
LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) stakeholders praised the marquee league’s progress over the past decade in a post-meeting feedback with the management.
A day earlier, PSL management shared insights and data on the league’s growth over the years.
The meeting was headed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salman Naseer at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), in which representatives of franchises, the title sponsor, media rights partners, and commercial partners participated.
“Ali Imran, Rao Umar Hashim Khan, and Ayaz Imam from Walee Technologies, Trans Group, and A Sports, respectively, took part in the stakeholders meeting and shared their views with the PCB Digital,” the PCB stated in a statement.
The Senior Vice President of A Sports, Ayaz Imam, referred to the marquee league as the biggest tournament in Pakistan.
“HBL PSL is the biggest tournament in Pakistan at the moment, and thanks to the Almighty, the success in 10 years has been tremendous, and I feel it will keep on excelling in the future. As the broadcaster of this tournament, we take pride. Our ratings go higher and higher every time the PSL comes around,” he said.
Ali Imran, Senior Vice President of Walee Technologies, also hailed the record-breaking PSL X, emphasizing the streaming records.
“I think HBL PSL X was just amazing. Walee partnered with biggest live-streaming and digital platforms in Pakistan including Begin, Daraz, Myco, Tamasha and Tapmad. This is the first time 57.4 million fans from Pakistan streamed the PSL matches and there were over 3.4 billionm views across these platforms.
“The way the PSL team works is amazing and they have been a great support for Walee Technologies in bringing the HBL PSL closer to the fans. I urge the fans to get ready to witness the biggest PSL event next year as we plan to bring more digital innovations to fore,” he said.
Rao Umar Hashim Khan, Group Director, Trans Group, extended his best wishes for the tournament’s future success.
“Being the pioneer partner, I have the best wishes for the HBL PSL and I feel it is going to become the biggest cricketing event in the world. PSL is growing every season and we are hopeful that we’ll showcase lots of good cricket in times to come, ” he said.
“It has been an honour for Trans Group to be part of the HBL PSL for the entirety of the 10 seasons. It is such a joy to be a part of the PSL and everywhere we go it feels amazing to represent Pakistan’s mega event,” Hashim Khan added.”
The Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of HBL, Ali Habib, highlighted the tournament’s progress and hailed it as the nation’s biggest sporting event.
“Everyone should reflect on the remarkable consistency of the HBL PSL for the last 10 years. At the start of every year the fans get excited about a new HBL PSL season, which in turn has made it as one of the biggest sporting brands.
“We should all pat our back for this wonderful achievement. Over the last 10 years we have shown to the world that we have the capacity, capability and organizational skills to pull off a vast six-week tournament across Pakistan involving over 60 overseas players,” he concluded.
For the unversed, the inaugural season of Pakistan’s first franchise-based league, PSL, kicked off in 2016 with a glitzy opening ceremony held at the Dubai Sports City Stadium.
Initially, five teams participated in the tournament: Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Lahore Qalandars, and Karachi Kings. However, in 2018, another team, Multan Sultans, was added to the competition, making the league a six-team tournament.
The 10th edition of the tournament, named PSL X, ran from April 11 to May 25 and featured a total of 34 matches, marking the most successful edition in the tournament’s history.
LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) management shared insights into its decade-long progress, headed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salman Naseer, here on Wednesday at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
The inaugural season of Pakistan’s first franchise-based league, PSL, kicked off in 2016 with a glitzy opening ceremony held at the Dubai Sports City Stadium.
Initially, five teams participated in the tournament: Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Lahore Qalandars, and Karachi Kings. However, in 2018, another team, Multan Sultans, was added to the competition, making the league a six-team tournament.
The 10th edition of the tournament, named PSL X, ran from April 11 to May 25 and featured a total of 34 matches, marking the most successful edition in the tournament’s history.
The Cricket Board has also shared the salient features of PSL X during the meeting.
“An impressive 647.25% increase in live streaming from PSL 9 to PSL X, highlighting the growing popularity of the league. In total, fans in Pakistan watched 48.5 billion cumulative minutes across live streaming platforms,” PCB stated.
“The PSL Playoffs and Final garnered 511 million views within the country, showcasing strong viewer engagement. Notably, 53% of the audience came from urban areas, while 47% were from rural regions,” it added.
Moreover, the statement noted that PSL X also garnered a massive social media following through the tournament’s online content.
“The league has also amassed a substantial social media following, with 22 million fans engaging with PSL content online,” the cricket governing body said.
During the meeting, the management of the Marquee League demonstrated data and analytics regarding the PSL’s progress over the years. The workshop also reflected on the statistical analysis between the ninth and tenth editions of the league.
Speaking on occasion, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi praised PSL standards while calling the tournament a symbol of determination.
“The Pakistan Super League has not only grown into a premier cricketing brand but has also served as a symbol of resilience, hope, and unity during challenging times, he said.
“As we look to the future, the PCB remains committed to strengthening and evolving the league further. We envision an even more competitive, inclusive and globally engaging tournament that continues to bring joy to cricket fans and honour to Pakistan,” Mohsin Naqvi added.
PCB’s CEO, Salman Naseer, lauded PSL X’s digital engagement, emphasizing the significant increase in live streaming during the tournament.
“The substantial growth in digital engagement, particularly the 647 per cent surge in live streaming, is a testament to the league’s increasing popularity among cricket fans, ” he said.
“PSL is not just a tournament, it’s a movement that unites fans across the globe. As we look ahead towards the next decade, we cannot wait to unravel new stories and thrilling experiences for the fans. Exciting times ahead!” Salman Naseer concluded.
LAHORE: The second phase of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) skill development camp is underway here at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) ground on Tuesday.
The 15 players part of the camp took part in various training sessions under the supervision of the coaches.
The coaches worked on the players’ batting and bowling skills at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
The second phase players include Aamer Jamal, Ali Raza, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Hussain Talat, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Faiq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mubasir Khan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shahid Aziz, and Yasir Khan.
For the unversed, the 20-day skill development camp, organised by the PCB, is being held in three phases and is designed to fine-tune the skills of national cricketers across all formats. A total of 47 players are expected to participate throughout the program.
The first batch of the camp concluded on Saturday, 21 June, which featured 15 players.
The players in the first phase of the camp included Aamir Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Babar Azam, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Muqeem.
The second phase of the camp will continue until 28 June, while the third phase will commence on 30 June.
The PCB officials view skill development initiative as part of a broader strategy to invest in long-term player development through consistent, skill-based training and proper fitness management, aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s talent pool.
LAHORE: National cricketers participated in scenario-based practice matches under the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) skill development initiative here at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) ground on Friday.
During the scenario-based matches, coaches assigned various tasks to players at the camp.
For the unversed, the 20-day skill development camp, organised by the PCB, is being held in three phases and is designed to fine-tune the skills of national cricketers across all formats. A total of 47 players are expected to participate throughout the program.
Players will engage in fitness and fielding sessions from 6:00 to 8:00 AM. Additionally, skill-based sessions (net practice) are scheduled from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM at both the LCCA Ground and NCA, taking place from Monday to Thursday.
According to the schedule, Phase 1 of the camp, running from June 16 to 21, features 15 players, including Babar.
The players in the first phase of the camp include: Aamir Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Babar Azam, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Muqeem.
The second phase of the camp is set to begin on June 23, followed by Phase 3 on June 30, with fresh player batches expected to be announced in the coming days.
The PCB officials view this initiative as part of a broader strategy to invest in long-term player development through consistent, skill-based training and proper fitness management, aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s talent pool.
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Skills Development Camp continued on day three in Lahore on Wednesday, with players actively taking part in various sessions.
The national cricketers sharpened their skills in an intense training session under the supervision of the coaches at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Players participated in both indoor and outdoor practice sessions, beginning their day with fielding and fitness drills in the morning.
Later, bowlers and batters took part in dedicated bowling and batting sessions, closely observed by the coaching staff.
The 20-day Skills Development camp will feature 47 men’s cricketers undergoing rigorous training and fitness sessions. The first batch of 15 players will participate till 21 June.
The players attending the first phase of the camp include: Aamir Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Babar Azam, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Muqeem.
The second and third phases of the camp will begin on June 23 and June 30, respectively, with additional players expected to join. The names of the second and third batch of players will be announced in due course.
Players will engage in fitness and fielding sessions from 6:00 to 8:00 AM. Additionally, skill-based sessions (net practice) are scheduled from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM at both the LCCA Ground and NCA, taking place from Monday to Thursday.
According to the PCB officials, this initiative is part of a broader strategy to invest in long-term player development through consistent, skill-based training and proper fitness management, aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s talent pool.
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Skills Development Camp kicked off in Lahore on Monday, with prominent national stars including Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan actively participating on day one.
The camp, being held at the LCCA Ground under the supervision of National Cricket Academy (NCA) coaches, is structured in three phases.
The opening phase features 15 players and is focused on fine-tuning skills in fielding, batting, and fitness.
The first session of the day began with high-intensity fielding drills, where both Babar and Rizwan were seen leading from the front.
Batting coach Hanif Malik, alongside other NCA coaches, conducted technical batting sessions aimed at refining players’ technique and shot selection. Gym work and strength training were also part of the routine.
According to a PCB spokesperson, the primary objective of the camp is to enhance individual skill levels and prepare players for upcoming domestic and international assignments.
The players attending the first phase include: Aamir Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Babar Azam, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Muqeem.
The afternoon session on Day 1 focused on bowling and fielding-specific drills, ensuring a comprehensive workload for the participants.
The second and third phases of the camp will begin on June 23 and June 30, respectively, with additional players expected to join.
PCB officials say this initiative is part of a broader strategy to invest in long-term player development through consistent, skill-based training and proper fitness management, aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s talent pool.
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed one change to the ‘intact’ national selection committee.
The PCB spokesman said in an official statement that the Board has only replaced the data analyst, who will have no voting rights during team selection.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the national selection committee remains intact,” the board said in an official statement.
According to PCB, Data analyst Hassan Cheema has been replaced by Usman Hashmi to assist the committee.
Apart from one change, the committee remains the same. The names include Aqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Asad Shafiq, and Azhar Ali.
It is pertinent to mention that the selection committee operates without a designated head, with all four members holding equal decision-making power.
Furthermore, the committee will consult coaches and captains of the respective teams before squad finalisation.
For the unversed, the announcement came in response to recent media reports that indicated a major overhaul of the selection committee, which suggested the potential removal of former Test cricketers Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq.
Earlier, the reports had indicated their possible replacement with former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and cricket analyst Sikandar Bakht.
LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced the new team management ahead of the T20I series against Bangladesh, featuring new batting and bowling coaches.
The notable omission in team management was assistant coach Azhar Mehmood, who was also the frontrunner for becoming the head coach of the Pakistan Cricket Team.
A month earlier, Azhar Mehmood expressed his ambition to become the head coach in an interview, stating, “I’m definitely going to apply for the Pakistan team head coach role.”
However, Azhar could not secure the position as Mike Hesson was named as the new head coach of the Pakistan team.
PCB has made several changes to the coaching staff. Former Australian pacer Ashley Noffke has been appointed as the bowling coach, while Hanif Malik will assume the charge of batting coach.
The 47-year-old, who played an ODI and two T20 internationals for Australia across a 12-year playing career, has a wealth of coaching experience. He has built a solid reputation as a coach, including a role within the coaching staff of the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.
Mohammad Masroor and Cliffe Deacon have retained their positions as fielding coach and physio, respectively, while Imranullah has been appointed as strength and conditioning coach, and Naveed Akram Cheema will act as team manager.
It is pertinent to mention that the upcoming three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium.
The first T20I will be played here on May 28, with the second and third T20Is scheduled on May 30 and June 1, respectively.
Pakistan team management for Bangladesh Series:
Naveed Akram Cheema (team manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Hanif Malik (batting coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Mohammad Masroor (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Imran Ullah (strength & conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (team analyst), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Muhammad Ehsan (masseur), Irtaza Kumail (security manager) and Syed Naeem Ahmed (media manager)
Pakistan squad for Bangladesh T20Is
Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicket-keeper) and Saim Ayub.
