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PCB Offers Sarfraz Ahmed Head Coach Role; Could Be A World Record Move

ABP Live Sports | March 4, 2026 10:11 PM CST

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly offered former captain Sarfraz Ahmed the role of head coach for Pakistan’s Test team. The board is currently awaiting his decision. If Sarfraz accepts, he will become the youngest ever to take charge of the Pakistan Test side.

The 38-year-old Sarfraz has represented Pakistan in all three formats. Impressed with his work at the junior level, PCB extended the offer for him to lead the Test team. Confirmation from Sarfraz is pending, but if finalized, it would mark a record-setting appointment.

Pakistan’s Test calendar, 2026

Pakistan’s Test calendar this year is packed under the ICC World Test Championship. The team is set to play two Tests in Bangladesh in May, followed by tours of the West Indies and England. Last year, Pakistan hosted South Africa for a home Test series, which ended in a 1-1 draw. During that series, former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood served as the interim head coach.

PCB maintains separate head coaches for red-ball and white-ball cricket. Mike Hesson currently leads Pakistan’s ODI and T20 teams, while Sarfraz has been approached for the Test team role. Previously, Azhar Mahmood held the Test coach position on an interim basis.

Sarfraz, 38, has played 54 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 61 T20 Internationals for Pakistan. He has scored 3,031 runs in Tests, 2,315 in ODIs, and 818 in T20Is. In addition, he has captained Pakistan across all formats, including leading the team to win in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign was a saga of individual brilliance overshadowed by collective inconsistency. Despite dropping veteran Babar Azam for their must-win finale, Pakistan exited in Super 8 stage due to a poor Net Run Rate.

The sole bright spot was Sahibzada Farhan, who shattered Virat Kohli’s decade-old record by scoring 383 runs, including two centuries.

However, a rain washout against New Zealand and a narrow loss to England proved fatal. Even a record 176-run opening stand against Sri Lanka couldn't save them, as they failed to restrict the hosts enough to surpass New Zealand's NRR.