Azhar Mahmood's contract poses major challenge for PCB

Azhar Mahmood's contract has become a major hurdle for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as terminating him before the end of the agreement would require paying him six months' salary. As a result, he has been appointed interim head coach of the Test team.

According to details, Azhar Mahmood was recently appointed by PCB as the interim coach of the red-ball (Test) team. The official press release had stated that he would continue until the completion of his contract. However, sources indicate that the situation is more complicated than it appears.

Reportedly, PCB's white ball head coach, Mike Hesson, had outright refused to include Azhar Mahmood in his coaching setup. Sources close to Azhar claim that during the tenures of Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, he was told to continue grooming himself as an assistant coach with the promise of becoming head coach later.

When that did not happen, Azhar became disappointed. At one point, he was informally told by an official that he would be given the Test team responsibility, but when no formal announcement was made, he grew concerned and even considered legal options.

The main issue for PCB is a contract signed by the previous administration with Azhar Mahmood, which stipulates that early termination would require payment of six months' salary. Azhar had even offered to work with the U19 team, but that proposal was rejected. His salary is paid in US dollars, which translates to around PKR 7.5 million per month, making him one of the most expensive coaches in Pakistan's cricket history.

To reduce expenses, PCB recently let go of several mentors — including WaqarYounis and SaqlainMushtaq — who were each earning around PKR 5 million monthly. However, removing Azhar before his contract expires would cost PCB tens of millions of rupees. His contract is set to end in March or April 2025, during which he will likely remain with the Test side for only two series: one against South Africa in October-November, and the other against Bangladesh in March-April.

Sources also revealed that Director of High Performance, Aaqib Javed, is not impressed with Azhar's coaching and has openly voiced his concerns in meetings. It is also possible that a permanent Test coach may be appointed even during Azhar's interim tenure.

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