Salman tipped to lead Pak in all formats

Pakistan's T20I captain Salman Ali Agha is 关键字3reportedly poised to become the all-format skipper of the national cricket team after impressing selectors and the new white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, according to sources close to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The 31-year-old was initially appointed as the T20I captain for the Zimbabwe leg of the tour to give regular captain Mohammad Rizwan some rest.

However, Salman has since impressed the selection committee, coach Hesson, and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi with his clarity of thought and leadership resolve during a short period in charge.

"Salman has been impressive in the opinions of the selection committee, new head coach Hesson and, above all, the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Mohsin Naqvi. All are on the same page that he should be the all-format captain," said the sources.

An official announcement is expected after the Eid holidays.

This development indicates that Rizwan, the current ODI captain, has fallen out of favor with the PCB and the selection committee, which is strongly influenced by Aaqib Javed.

The sources added that the wicketkeeper batter's strained relationship with Aaqib, especially during the recent New Zealand tour where Pakistan lost the ODI series 3-0, has contributed to his declining standing.

The right-handed batter publicly voiced concerns over his lack of authority in selection matters during the New Zealand tour, which drew criticism. The ODI series defeat followed Pakistan's disappointing exit in the first round of the 2025 Champions Trophy, hosted at home.

Meanwhile, Test captain Shan Masood is also reportedly facing the axe after Pakistan's poor run under his leadership, losing nine out of 12 Tests since December 2023.

His most damaging setback was a 2-0 home series loss to Bangladesh - Pakistan's first-ever defeat to the lower-ranked side. Additionally, Pakistan managed only a 1-1 draw against the West Indies last year.

These results left Pakistan at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings in the current cycle, placing ninth out of nine teams, a significant drop from finishing fifth and seventh in the previous two WTC cycles.

"Masood's captaincy was unimpressive and timid, so he was destined to lose captaincy. Moreover, Masood's own performance was poor so Salman will also take over from him," sources further added.

For the unversed, Pakistan's upcoming schedule includes a three-match T20I series in Bangladesh on July 20, 22, and 24, followed by a three match ODI and T20I series against the West Indies in August.

In Tests, Pakistan will host South Africa for a two-match series in October. For the WTC fourth cycle (2025-2027), Pakistan will host Sri Lanka and New Zealand and tour Bangladesh, the West Indies, and England.

Aqib outlines plan as Director High Performance

Director of High Performance at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Aqib Javed, laid out his strategic vision for the future of Pakistan cricket during the 63rd episode of the PCB Podcast, hosted by former Test pacer Wahab Riaz.

While discussing the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore, he stressed the importance of clearly defining its purpose. He said the NCA should play a pivotal role in identifying and addressing deficiencies in the national team across all formats.

Speaking about the allocation of academies for various age groups and women cricketers, the former pacer outlined the PCB's latest development plan. "The Karachi High Performance Centre will now cater to women cricketers, providing facilities to support their diet, training, and skill development.

"The Multan HPC will be dedicated to U19 players, with a group of 30 selected for specialised training. The Faisalabad centre will be used for U17 players, while Sialkot's HPC will focus on grooming 30 U15 players," he stated.