The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) plans on replacing current Test skipper Shan Masood. Big changes are coming to Pakistan cricket, with Salman Ali Agha likely to become the new captain in all formats. They also want to make broader structural adjustments to how the team is managed.
PCB Plans to Restructure Leadership and Introduce New Committee
This leadership shift is part of a larger PCB plan to improve performance. This includes creating an “observatory” committee to monitor cricketing affairs and advise PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
According to a PCB source, former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and ex-pacer Sikander Bakht have been invited to Lahore for discussions about joining the new observatory committee.
The source confirmed, “The two were informed about the decision to form the observatory committee and offered positions on it.” Other former cricketers are also expected to be included. This committee will oversee progress in both national and domestic circuits and report directly to the PCB chairman.
Selection Panel Restructuring Underway
The PCB is also rethinking how team selections are made. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, in consultation with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and other advisors, may introduce a new selection structure or revamp the existing panel.
A source revealed, “Either there will be changes in the current selection committee which would continue to work with the Pakistan team management or a new selection set-up would be announced with prime focus on looking and finding talent from domestic and age group cricket.”
Naqvi is reportedly aiming to give the coaching staff and captains more say in picking squads. This will bring clarity and coordination to team decisions.
Salman Ali Agha is currently leading Pakistan in T20s and is the top choice to take on the captaincy in ODIs and Tests as well. The board is expected to make this move official after appointing a new red-ball head coach. This could also mean the end of Shan Masood’s stint as Test captain.
Looking Ahead: South Africa Series Key for New Captain
Pakistan’s Test calendar is relatively light this year, with only five matches scheduled. The team will kick off its ICC World Test Championship campaign with a home series against South Africa. With so few matches, experts see strong and stable leadership as critical. A stable leadership will help set the tone for the WTC cycle.
