(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
PCB Coaching Affairs Committee Struggles to Function as Intended
The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) newly formed Coaching Affairs Committee, established to bring transparency and structure to the country’s coaching system, has reportedly seen limited activity, with only one of its six appointed members actively participating.
Formed on July 16, the committee was tasked with shortlisting, interviewing, and recommending coaches for various roles across Pakistan’s cricketing circuit. Its members include notable names such as Director High Performance Aqib Javed, Director Domestic Abdullah Khurram Niazi, Director HR and Administration Abdul Faisal Malik, men’s head coach Mike Hesson, Head of Coaching Education Shahid Aslam, and GM Academies Imran Abbas.
However, according to sources, only Shahid Aslam has been conducting interviews. He has been joined by GM Domestic Junaid Zia, who was not officially part of the committee. The pair have already led sessions in Karachi and are now conducting interviews in Rawalpindi, with support from another local PCB official outside the original panel.
This approach contrasts with the committee’s official mandate. PCB had announced that the body would ensure “transparency, professionalism, and consistency across all coaching-related operations,” supporting the National Cricket Academy’s long-term development goals.
The limited engagement of high-profile members such as Aqib Javed and Mike Hesson raises questions about execution and accountability. PCB had envisioned the committee as a mechanism to align future coaching appointments with established policies and compliance standards.
For now, the coaching selection process in Pakistan appears to remain largely ad hoc, falling short of the structured, transparent system the board had publicly promised.
