Pakistan has signed Jason Gillespie on a two-year contract as Pakistan’s red ball coach, while Gary Kirsten will take charge of the white ball side of Pakistan, with Azhar Mehmood to act as an assistant coach in all formats.
The announcement finally came after months of speculations on who was to take over as coach for the Pakistan team. The change in coaches adds to the number of changes that have taken place at PCB over the last couple of months, where chairmans, selectors and playing 11s have been changed, as Pakistan eyes the World T20 2024.
The 49-year-old Gillespie has in the past coached Yorkshire in the County Championship helping them win the title in 2014 and 2015.
“Leading the Pakistan cricket team is a big achievement for any coach, given its rich legacy and passionate fan base, “ Gillespie said.
“I understand there will be expectations and that comes with the role. All I can do is to take it in my stride and I would not have taken on the job if I did not think I could deal with it.”
Meanwhile, Gary Kirsten, who is known for coaching India to the 2011 World Cup title, will be joining the team immediately as the World T20 preparations are undergoing.
“It’s a tremendous honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men’s national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time,” said Kirsten.
“Understanding the current state of the team and charting a path towards our desired goals is paramount. Winning ICC Events, while challenging, remains a significant objective. Whether it’s the upcoming tournament in June or events in the future, achieving success in these competitions would be a remarkable feat.”
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In addition to leading the team in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 and various bilateral white-ball series, Gary Kirsten will also oversee the team’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, the T20 Asia Cup 2025, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
Gillespie will take on the task of managing the team for the ICC World Test Championship fixtures against Bangladesh (at home in August), followed by Tests against England (at home in October) and South Africa (away in December) during the 2024-25 season.
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