The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed the appointment of Mike Hesson as the new head coach for the national men’s white-ball teams. The former New Zealand cricketer and coach will oversee both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals and is set to take charge from May 26.
Hesson’s appointment fills the vacancy left by Gary Kirsten, who stepped down last October after just seven months in the role due to reported disagreements with the PCB. Since then, Aaqib Javed had been managing the position on a temporary basis.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi welcomed Hesson’s arrival in a social media post, stating that the former Black Caps coach had been selected after reviewing several applications. Naqvi expressed hope that Hesson would help shape the future of Pakistan’s white-ball cricket.
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Hesson, currently coaching Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League, brings with him significant international experience, having previously led both New Zealand and Kenya.
In a related move, the PCB also announced Aaqib Javed’s new role as Director of High Performance. Naqvi described this appointment as a strategic step towards strengthening Pakistan’s cricket structure and noted that Javed would work closely with Hesson in improving team performance.
These changes come just ahead of Pakistan’s home T20I series against Bangladesh, which begins on May 25. The timing of the appointments is seen as crucial, especially after a period of poor showings in major tournaments, including the Asia Cup, ODI World Cup, and T20 World Cup.