Islamabad, April 15 (IANS) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to continue with Shan Masood as captain of the Test side despite poor results, while former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed is expected to be appointed as head coach for the red-ball format.

The development comes as Pakistan prepares to begin a fresh cycle of the ICC World Test Championship with a two-match away series against Bangladesh, scheduled to start from May 8.

According to a report in Telecom Asia Sport, the PCB is keen on maintaining stability in the longer format despite criticism surrounding Masood’s leadership and batting form, especially after Pakistan finished at the bottom of the previous WTC cycle.

Masood’s tenure saw a difficult stretch overseas, including a 3-0 whitewash in Australia and a 2-0 defeat in South Africa. A 2-1 home series win against England was one of the few positives, while a 1-1 draw against West Indies further reflected the team’s inconsistency.

In a significant move, Sarfaraz is likely to replace Azhar Mahmood as the red-ball head coach. The decision is understood to be aimed at ensuring better alignment between the captain and team management, given the strong rapport between Masood and Sarfaraz.

The report also noted that a proposal to appoint Mike Hesson as an all-format head coach did not receive approval, facing resistance from both the PCB’s Board of Governors and the selection committee.

Pakistan are scheduled to play three Test series in the current WTC cycle, against Bangladesh, West Indies and England.

The squad for the Bangladesh tour is expected to be announced soon, with young opener Azan Awais in strong contention following impressive performances in domestic cricket.

Meanwhile, a red-ball training camp is underway at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore under the supervision of Sarfaraz and academy coaches as Pakistan look to rebuild in the Test format.

–IANS

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