Sarfaraz Ahmed has been appointed as head coach for Pakistan’s two-match Test series against Bangladesh next month, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Saturday.
The series, part of the ICC World Test Championship, will begin with the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium from May 8 to 12. The second Test will be held at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from May 16 to 20.
Sarfaraz, who led Pakistan to the 2017 Champions Trophy title, has previously worked with the Under-19 team and Pakistan Shaheens following his retirement from international cricket.
Since the resignation of Australian coach Jason Gillespie in December 2024, the red-ball side has been guided on an interim basis by Aaqib Javed and Azhar Mahmood, with Shan Masood continuing as captain.
Pakistan have included four uncapped players — Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori — in a 16-member squad for the series.
Former fast bowler Umar Gul will serve as bowling coach alongside Sarfaraz in the coaching setup.
Several squad members, including Azan Awais, Imamul Haq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan, are currently participating in a red-ball training camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
The squad will regroup in Karachi on April 27 for a final training camp, which will conclude on May 1. The team is scheduled to depart for Bangladesh the following day.
Pakistan Test squad includes: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, and Imamul Haq.