Mike Hesson takes over as Pakistan’s head coach as Aqib Javed undergoes major role change

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Mike Hesson as the new head coach of their men’s team with the New Zealand tactician set to take charge of the duties from May 26. Hesson has been a popular figure in modern day cricket, but his acquaintance towards Pakistan and their national team arguably grew whilst spearheading Islamabad United to the PSL title in 2024.The Kiwi has been the national team head coach of the New Zealand team from 2012-18, playing a key role to their run to the finals in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2015. Right afterwards, he assumed multiple responsibilities at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) right until 2023, taking them to playoffs on more than one occasion.Hesson is replacing Aqib Javed, who came under fire after Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, which was the first ICC tournament that they were hosting in nearly 30 years. The Muhammad Rizwan-led side was unable to make it past the group stages even, and Javed, who had succeeded Gary Kirsten, dealt with severe criticism for the team’sunderperformance.“I am pleased to announce the appointment of former New Zealand cricketerand renowned coach Mike Hesson as the white-ball head coach of the Pakistan men's team,” PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi said in the official press release. He added, “Mike brings with him a wealth of international experience and a proven track record of developing competitive sides. We look forward to his expertise and leadership in shaping the future of Pakistan's white-ball cricket. Welcome to the team, Mike!”However, Javed has not been ruled out of the think-tank altogether. He shall be the High-Performance Director going forward. Hesson’s first responsibility asthe head coach will be the upcoming T20I series in Bangladesh beginning this month, which paves the way for their preparation for the World Cup of the shortest format due to be held in India and Sri Lanka in 2026.Hesson has previously served as the head coach of the New Zealand’s menteam, famously leading them to the finals of the ODI World Cup in 2015.

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