Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has disagreed with the statement made by teammate and fast bowler Naseem Shah that there is a language barrier between the team and foreign coaches. With former Australian cricketer Jason Gillespie taking over as Pakistan’s new red ball head coach ahead of the two-Test series against Bangladesh, Naseem had said that players face difficulties in communication when the coach is a foreigner. However, Masood has vehemently disagreed with Naseem’s statement, saying that Pakistan have made huge strides in improving in that regard.

Earlier Naseem Shah had said, “There is a language problem with foreign coaches. We need someone to translate the language. It is easier to communicate with the coach in your own language,” as reported by Cricket Pakistan.

However, Masood has subsequently disagreed with it. Masood pointed out the time when South African-Australian Mickey Arthur was the head coach, signalling that as an example of no gap in communication. Pakistan are currently coached in limited overs cricket by former India coach Gary Kirsten.

“I think now there is no communication gap. All of us have spent a lot of time in different dressing rooms. Foreign coaches have come before in Mickey’s time. Mickey has come twice. Different assistant foreign coaches have come,” Masood said, as also reported by Cricket Pakistan.

Mickey Arthur had served as the head coach of Pakistan between 2016 and 2019, a period in which Pakistan had lifted the ICC Champions Trophy title in 2017, beating India in the final.

Masood pointed out that Pakistan’s backroom staff also come from overseas countries.

“Even our support staff, personnel, strength and conditioning coach, and physio, they have also come from abroad. So, I think over the years, the boys have picked a lot of things, played in different leagues, played franchises. Some people have even gone to England and played club cricket in the past,” he added.

Pakistan host Bangladesh for the first of two Test matches on August 21. They currently sit fifth in the World Test Championship (WTC) table for the 2023-25 cycle.

Pakistan star pacer Shaheen Afridi could miss their upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh due to the birth of his first child. Shaheen and his wife Ansha, who got married last year, are expecting the birth of their first child, and he could miss the Test series against Bangladesh next month. “Shaheen can miss Bangaladesh Test matches due to childbirth. We can give him [some] rest if he wants to stay with his wife till then,” said Pakistan’s red-ball coach Jason Gillispie as quoted from Geo News.

Their Nikah ceremony was performed last year in February, but the wedding reception was held in September 2023.

Recently, Shaheen has been in the limelight due to the reports that surfaced about his misbehaviour with Pakistan coaches.

During Pakistan’s T20I tour of England, before the recently concluded T20 World Cup, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi had heated arguments with batting coach Mohammad Yousuf.

Sources informed Geo News that Shaheen and Yousuf exchanged heated words, but later, the pacer apologised to him.

Multiple sources within Pakistan cricket team management confirmed Geo News that the issue was in the “heat of the moment” and was sorted out quickly.

A source recalled the incident while speaking to Geo News and stated that the heated exchange took place during a training session when Yousuf pointed out Shaheen’s no-balls. Shaheen got furious after he was repeatedly called out for his no-balls.

“Shaheen said to Mohammad Yousuf to let him do what he was doing, and he [Yousuf] should mind his own business,” a source told Geo News and added that Yousuf responded to Shaheen that he was a coach and doing his job.

“This was nothing more than a routine case of heat-of-the-moment, so the chapter was closed there and then,” the source replied when asked why it wasn’t reported to the PCB.

Pakistan’s next white-ball series will begin in November against Australia. Before that, they will engage in red-ball cricket in a two-match Test series against Bangladesh which will kick off on August 21.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and coach Jason Gillespie have reposed faith on Shan Masood to continue as national team’s Test captain ahead of a packed international season, but a decision on the leadership role of Babar Azam in white ball formats has been put on hold. Pakistan is scheduled to host England in a three-match Test series in October this year, while rubbers against Bangladesh, South Africa and the West Indies are also on the calendar.

The PCB held a meeting here on Wednesday, which was attended by senior board officials, national selectors, Gillespie, white ball formats coach Gary Kirsten and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, to discuss Pakistan’s meek outing in the recent T20 World Cup in the Americas.

“The meeting was held to discuss ways to move forward with a comprehensive blueprint for the national team in red and white ball formats,” indicated a source aware of the developments.

Masood, who took over as Test captain ahead of the tour to Australia earlier this year, received a complete vote of confidence.

“Shan got the support at the meeting to continue as Test captain for the upcoming series against Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies between August and January,” he said.

However, no decision was taken on Babar’s white ball captaincy although his performance as captain and batsman came under a lot of discussion.

Babar, according to the source, came under criticism for his lack of strength and leadership skills when the chips were down, especially during the T20 WC.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz asked to sack the entire selection committee as they had shown collective incompetence in the ICC showpiece and in the build up to it.

“The selection committee has worked collectively and should be sacked collectively for their failure and incompetence,” said Nawaz.

Nawaz said he had told PCB officials several times not to give any administrative role to sacked selector Wahab Riaz.

“I am on record to have written letters to Zaka (Ashraf) and (Mohsin) Naqvi regarding Wahab’s suspected past and his lack of abilities as an administrator. Nobody paid heed to my suggestion.

“I knew well that Wahab was not capable of delivering in any capacity yet he was made selector, advisor and manager. On all fronts he failed,” he said.

In the wake of Pakistan’s dismal showing in the T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday gave head coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie a free hand to turn the fortunes of the team, according to sources. Pakistan lost to newcomers USA and arch-rivals India in the Group stages of the World Cup to be eliminated from the competition held in the USA and the Caribbean. Naqvi met the white-ball and red-ball coaches, where Kirsten and Gillespie shared their plans for the national team.

According to the PCB, Naqvi told both the coaches that he had full confidence in them and they would get full backing from the cricket board.

“Kirsten was blunt in laying down his concerns about the white-ball team based on the World Cup,” said a PCB source.

Both the head coaches told the PCB chairman that they wanted to set clear guidelines about the fitness levels required to be considered for Pakistan team selection.

“Naqvi told them they should do whatever is necessary to change the fortunes of the team and no one would ask them to make any compromises on selection or the fitness of players,” the source added.

Kirsten had warned senior pros in the side following the team’s loss to the USA and India to adapt to new skill-sets and improve their game awareness, or get left behind. Senior team manager, Wahab Riaz, in his report submitted to Naqvi, had outlined personality clashes in the side during the World Cup.

“The PCB chief said both the coaches had a free hand to take whatever decisions they wanted to improve the performances of the team in red-ball and white-ball formats.” Assistant coach Azhar Mahmood was also present during the meeting.

The source added that Kirsten, while discussing his experience with the Pakistan team during the World Cup, told Naqvi that there was a need to rebuild combinations in the white-ball format and also change the mindset of players.

Kirsten and Gillespie had agreed to become white-ball and red-ball coaches respectively a few months before the World Cup after Naqvi approached them and offered them long-term contracts with the assurance that they would be given proper opportunities to implement their plans.

Kirsten has also worked with the Indian team and comes to Pakistan with a big reputation.

Pakistan Test coach Jason Gillespie highlighted the importance of fitness in the team ahead of their two-match red-ball series against Bangladesh in August. In the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan crashed out of the group stage and received massive backlash from former Pakistan cricketers and some sections of fans. Fielding and inconsistency were the two aspects of the Pakistan team that were heavily criticised. Apart from that, the fitness level of the players also turned out to be another point of backlash for the players.

Some sections of fans, along with former Pakistan cricketers including Wasim Akram, Kamran Akmal and many more stars, have been critical of the players’ fitness.

Gillespie is looking to improve the fitness level within the team and said, as quoted from Geo News, “In international cricket, you have to remain fit, there are no questions on that. In international cricket, everyone should know about the importance of fitness. It is the main component of a sportsman.”

After Babar Azam was reinstated as the white ball captain in place of Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood is expected to lead the side in the two-match Test series.

Gillespie disclosed that he has had conversations with the Test skipper and will hold talks with the players about the brand of cricket that they want to play.

“I have talked to Shan Masood [Pakistan’s red-ball capain] one or two times, I’m hoping we will play positive cricket. I will [also] discuss with the players about what brand of cricket they want to play, the team will be selected while taking the opposition and conditions in mind,” he said.

“If a player is good for the team, he will definitely be selected. I’m in contact with Gary Kirsten [Pakistan’s white-ball coach] for players’ workload management,” he added.

The former Australian pacer asserted that his focus is on red-ball cricket and he has had conversations with previous coaches as he aims to improve the team.

“My focus is red-ball cricket. I will also travel to Australia and watch their players. I have talked with Jeff Lawson and Shaun Tait [Pakistan’s former bowling coach] on the Pakistan cricket team,” Gillespie said.

Pakistan’s Test series against Bangladesh will begin on August 21 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second Test will be played on August 30 at National Stadium Karachi.