The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood as the head coach of the men’s cricket team for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. The matches will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from April 18 to 27.

Azhar represented Pakistan in 164 internationals, taking 162 wickets and scoring 2,421 runs, the PCB said in a statement. His previous assignment with the Pakistan men’s cricket team was from 2016 to 2019 when he was the bowling coach.

Wahab Riaz has been appointed as the senior team manager while Mohammad Yousuf will be the batting coach. Saeed Ajmal, who was the bowling coach on the last tours of Australia and New Zealand, will continue as the spin bowling coach.

Pakistan team player support personnel for New Zealand T20Is:

Wahab Riaz (senior team manager), Mansoor Rana (team manager), Azhar Mahmood (head coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Saeed Ajmal (spin bowling coach), Aftab Khan (field coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saiman (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Butt (analyst), Irtiza Komail (security manager), Raza Kitchlew (media and digital manager), Zain Maqsood (videographer), Dr Khurram Sarwar (doctor), and Mohammad Imran (masseur).

Meanwhile, the Pakistan cricket team for the New Zealand series will be announced on Tuesday, 9 April, at 12:45 in the media conference room at the Gaddafi Stadium.