Azhar Mahmood to serve as Pakistan's head coach for five-game T20I series against New Zealand

Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood will serve as the head coach of the national men's team for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, beginning on April 18 in Rawalpindi. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the entire management during a team meeting on Monday, with Wahab Riaz set to be the senior team manager.

Mahmood featured in 21 Tests and 143 ODIs from 1997 to 2007 for the Men in Green, collectively taking 162 scalps. The 49-year-old had served as the bowling coach of the national men's side from 2016 to 2019 and was also present on the coaching staff of Islamabad United in the PSL.

Ex-Pakistan middle-order batter Mohammed Yousuf has been appointed as the batting coach, while Saeed Ajmal will be the bowling coach. Ajmal had served in the role during their recent tours of Australia and New Zealand. The PCB will unveil the squad for the five-game series on April 9, Tuesday, at the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore.

Pakistan's white-ball team witnesses captaincy change:

Pakistan national men's team witnessed a captaincy change recently as the PCB reinstated Babar Azam as the white-ball captain after the star right-handed batter stepped down following the 2023 World Cup in India. It also meant that pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi captained the side for just one T20I series, which they lost 4-1.

The Men in Green have 11 T20Is to go before the T20 World Cup 2024 begins on June 2. After facing the Kiwis in five T20Is at home, Babar Azam's men will lock horns in three T20Is each against England and Ireland. They are in Group A, clubbed with co-hosts USA, arch-rivals India, Ireland, and Canada for the T20 World Cup 2024.

The sub-continent giants' only title victory in the shortest format came in 2009 by beating Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's.