PCB in Talks with Mike Hesson for Pakistan's New Head Coach Role
- Abeera Marium Siddiqui
- April 23, 2025
- 2:53 pm
- 46
- Sports
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in talks with former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson for Pakistan’s new head coach position. After months of instability and short-term appointments, Hesson has emerged as the top contender for the job. The role has remained vacant since Gary Kirsten stepped down in October 2024.
Hesson currently coaches Islamabad United, one of the most successful franchises in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Under his leadership, the team lifted the PSL 9 trophy and remains unbeaten in PSL 10. His tactical skills and calm leadership have impressed the PCB. The board had approached him last year, but Hesson declined due to prior commitments. Now, discussions between both parties have resumed.
The PCB advertised the coaching position recently. The requirements include Level 3 coaching certification and at least ten years of experience at the international or domestic level. Hesson ticks all the boxes. He coached New Zealand from 2012 to 2018 and also led Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL). During his time with New Zealand, the team reached the 2015 World Cup final and gained global respect for their disciplined style of play.
While former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq is also in the race, Hesson remains the preferred choice. Sources within the PCB confirm that his appointment could be finalized soon after PSL 10 ends.
The search for Pakistan’s new head coach follows a troubling pattern in recent years. Since early 2023, the PCB has appointed six different head coaches. These include Abdul Rahman, Azhar Mahmood, Mohammad Hafeez, Jason Gillespie, Gary Kirsten, and Aaqib Javed. Most of them served for only a few months, and none could deliver strong performances in key international events.
Pakistan’s poor showing in the 2023 Asia Cup, the ODI World Cup, and the 2024 T20 World Cup added pressure on the board to make smarter decisions. The Champions Trophy 2025, held earlier this year at home, was another disappointment. Aaqib Javed acted as interim coach during that tournament. He also served as both a selector and head coach but failed to bring any stability or results.
Now, PCB wants help from a foreign expert to improve the team. But hiring a foreign coach is not easy. Past experiences with foreign coaches like Geoff Lawson and Mickey Arthur ended in controversy. Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten also left early. They blamed poor internal systems and lack of support from PCB.
In the middle of this coaching drama, the PCB has also made frequent changes in captaincy. In 2023, Babar Azam lost the captaincy after a poor World Cup run. Shaheen Afridi replaced him in white-ball formats, while Shan Masood led the Test side. Later, Mohsin Naqvi’s regime brought back Babar, but after a weak T20 World Cup, he stepped down again. Mohammad Rizwan briefly took over, but was replaced by Salman Ali Agha after another poor campaign. Shan still leads the Test team, despite average performances.
At the same time, the selection committee also saw several changes. Instead of holding selectors accountable, the PCB gave them new roles. Wahab Riaz, once chief selector, now works as director of mentors. He supervises big names like Misbah-ul-Haq, Waqar Younis, and Sarfaraz Ahmed. Mohammad Yousuf has also held multiple roles, including U-19 coach, selector, and batting coach.
The PCB also advertised a new vacancy for Director of High Performance Centres after Nadeem Khan’s resignation. Reports suggest Aaqib Javed is eyeing this role, although his past record hasn’t been convincing. He failed as interim head coach and selector, yet continues to remain in the system.
Despite these constant reshuffles, Pakistan’s performance has not improved. Now, the board is betting on Mike Hesson as Pakistan’s new head coach to bring order and direction to the team.
