Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has sharply criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for appointing Azhar Mahmood as interim head coach of the national Test team, calling the move illogical and reflective of poor management.
Speaking on ‘The Game Plan’ YouTube podcast, Akmal said he was baffled by the rationale behind naming Mahmood to the post on a temporary basis.
He likened the decision to the PCB’s earlier controversial appointment of Mickey Arthur as director of cricket, despite his ongoing commitments with a county team.
“I just don’t understand the logic behind this decision,” Akmal said. “It’s exactly like the time they made Mickey Arthur director of cricket while letting him continue elsewhere. I couldn’t understand it then, and I can’t understand it now.”
Akmal argued that such short-term, inconsistent decisions have contributed to long-standing issues within Pakistan cricket. He cited a series of coaching changes—including Aaqib Javed, Mohammad Hafeez, and now Azhar Mahmood—as examples of the PCB’s reactive approach.
The former international urged the board to adopt a more professional and strategic mindset, warning that temporary fixes would only deepen structural problems.
“These decisions reflect a lack of seriousness,” he added. “When the PCB starts thinking seriously and acting professionally, it won’t have to make such compromises or temporary appointments.”
Akmal also suggested that Mahmood’s appointment seemed more about rewarding personal loyalty than building a stable coaching framework.
He criticised what he described as a ‘please-all’ strategy and questioned the utility of naming a head coach without long-term responsibility.
“Everyone has been appeased, and now Azhar has also been rewarded,” he said. “If you’ve made him head coach, then give him the full time and responsibility. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
The PCB has not yet commented on Akmal’s remarks. Azhar Mahmood’s appointment comes at a time when Pakistan’s Test side is undergoing a transitional phase ahead of upcoming tours.
