By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday appointed New Zealand’s Mike Hesson as the national team’s white-ball coach, effective May 26, 2025, ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) resumption later this month.
Hesson, a seasoned coach with experience leading international teams such as Kenya and New Zealand, currently serves as head coach of the Islamabad United franchise, the defending champions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
He replaces former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed, who has held the interim white-ball coaching role since November 2024. Javed stepped in after Gary Kirsten resigned in October last year following disagreements with the PCB, leaving the team without a full-time white-ball coach until now.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced the appointment of Mike Hesson as the white-ball head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team effective from 26 May, 2025,” the PCB said in a statement. “Hesson comes in to fill the post after evaluation of numerous applications received against the vacancy, which fell vacant after Pakistan men’s team tour to New Zealand in April.”
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi hailed the appointment, saying Hesson brings “a wealth of international experience and a proven track record of developing competitive sides.” “We look forward to his expertise and leadership in shaping the future of Pakistan’s white-ball cricket,” Naqvi added.
The move comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Pakistan’s cricket setup, with analysts and commentators attributing the national team’s lackluster performances over the past two years to frequent changes in coaching and selection staff.
Last April, former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie was named Test coach on a two-year contract, only to resign in December ahead of a home Test series against South Africa.
The PCB confirmed that Aaqib Javed has been appointed as Director of High Performance. In this role, Javed will oversee the country’s high-performance cricket program, ensuring players are prepared for top-level competition. “His appointment, alongside Mike Hesson as the white-ball Head Coach, marks a significant step forward in our strategic vision for Pakistan Cricket,” the board stated.
The PCB confirmed the PSL will restart on May 17, following a pause due to recent India-Pakistan tensions. The league’s remaining eight matches had initially been slated for relocation to the United Arab Emirates, but the PCB postponed them last week on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The interruption stemmed from heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, sparked when India conducted missile strikes on what it called “terrorist camps” in Pakistan last week. India claimed the action was in retaliation for a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir last month, an incident it blamed on Islamabad. Pakistan rejected the allegations, but the situation escalated with cross-border shelling, and exchanges of drones and missiles, resulting in dozens of deaths. A shaky ceasefire emerged Saturday via US-led talks.
“HBL PSL X picks up from where it left off! 6 teams,” PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi wrote on X. “Get ready for 8 thrilling matches starting 17th May, leading up to the Grand Final on 25th May.”
The resumption aligns with developments across the border, where Indian cricket authorities announced on Monday that the Indian Premier League (IPL), suspended for a week due to the same conflict, will also restart on May 17.
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