Urooj Niazi 
hesson to coach pakistan in white ball cricket
Mike Hesson has been named as the new white-ball head coach of Pakistan; the appointment has been confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today. The 50-year-old New Zealander will take over his duties from May 26 after the PSL 2025 that ends, where he is currently working with defending champions Islamabad United.
The appointment is after a series of instability on Pakistan’s coaching setup after Gary Kirsten’s sudden resignation after six months of a two-year contract. Aqib Javed, whose interim tenure as head coach lasted five months, has been given the job of High Performance Director but continues to be part of the PCB selection committee.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was excited about the appointment with the emphasis being laid on Hesson’s international experience and track record in building competitive sides.
Hesson comes as an impressive candidate for the job as he was the coach of the New Zealand head team from 2012 to 2018. He:
- Made it to their first ever World Cup final in 2015
- Dominated at home situations
- Made a major success in the white-ball cricket
His debut for Pakistan should be a five-match T20I series against Bangladesh if both countries manage to play according to the schedule.
The PCB has failed to reveal the length of time the Hesson contract has; Pakistan is also operating without a permanent red-ball coach. Their next Test series is due in October with South Africa.
Before joining up with Belmont, Hesson has led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru of the IPL as their director of cricket between 2019 and their separation last year 2023.
