Daily Times

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Aqib Javed, a member of its men’s selection committee, as the interim white-ball head coach on Monday.

The development comes after the PCB refuted a media report claiming that Javed was set to replace Jason Gillespie as the head coach for all formats.

According to a press release issued by the PCB today, during his tenure, Javed will “continue to serve as a senior member of the men’s National Selection Committee, and will be assigned additional responsibilities” after the conclusion of the Champions Trophy 2025.

It added that the PCB will “initiate the recruitment process for a permanent white-ball head coach, aiming to complete the appointment by the end of the ICC Champions Trophy”, which it said is scheduled from February 19 to March 9.

Javed is set to replace Gillespie, who was appointed to the role last month after former South Africa top-order batter Gary Kirsten’s resignation.

In April, Kirsten was appointed to lead the white-ball format, while Gillespie took charge as the Green Team’s red-ball head coach. However, Kirsten resigned from the position last month, following which Gillespie assumed his role as well.

According to a Dawn report, Kirsten was neither consulted nor given any role in the selection of the Pakistan squad for Australia and Zimbabwe tours.

Earlier, the Press Trust of India news agency was quoted as reporting that Javed or former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq may take up the role of the national side’s white-ball head coach.

An article published in ESPNcricinfo on Sunday said that Javed was set to replace Gillespie as the head coach for all formats.

The outlet reported that the decision was to be announced as soon as Monday after the end of Pakistan’s third and final game in their ongoing T20 series against Australia. However, in a post on X on Sunday night, the PCB “strongly” refuted the report. “As announced previously, Jason Gillespie will continue to coach the Pakistan side for the two red-ball matches against South Africa,” it stated. The PCB has not confirmed who would lead the side beyond those two matches.

Gillespie had publically expressed his concerns over being limited to a “match-day strategist” during Pakistan’s Test series against England last month.