The 49-year-old will start his two-year tenure with a two-match series against Bangladesh next month followed by three against England in October -- both at home.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam said on Sunday the team's batting let them down at the Twenty20 World Cup and apologised to fans for failing to reach the Super Eight stage.

Pakistan on Friday became the 20th and the last team to announce a 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the United States and the West Indies next month.

It took Babar past Uganda's Brian Masaba for the most wins by male T20I captains and in front of former skippers in the ilk of England's Eoin Morgan, India's MS Dhoni and Australia's Aaron Finch.

Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, Azam Khan and Muhammad Irfan Khan, who all suffered injuries last month against New Zealand, were also included in an 18-man squad.

Pakistan have appointed former South Africa batsman Gary Kirsten as head coach of their men's white-ball teams, while the test side will be under the guidance of former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie, the country's cricket board said on Sunday.

With wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan ruled out on the eve of the series with a muscle tear, Haseebullah Khan, who was called up as replacement, is likely to keep wickets in the last two matches in Lahore later on Thursday and on Saturday.

Ahead of Pakistan’s home assignment against New Zealand, newly appointed head coach Azhar Mahmood spoke in detail about his squad, player combinations, and strategies.

Usman was a part of the recently concluded 29-player fitness camp, which was conducted by trainers from the Pakistan Army. Last week, he was banned for five years by the Emirates Cricket Board [ECB]. The 28-year-old was "found to have breached his obligations to the Emirates Cricket Board."

UAE-based batsman Usman Khan was banned from Emirati cricket for five years on Friday after he joined a Pakistan training camp in an apparent bid to play for the country of his birth.

Shaheen and Naqvi met yesterday at the Pakistan team’s training camp in Kakul

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will hold crisis talks Monday after replaced captain Shaheen Shah Afridi reportedly denied he had made comments backing new skipper Babar Azam that were quoted in a PCB statement.

According to cricket website ESPNCricinfo, Shaheen was on the brink of making a statement to this effect

Babar Azam was named Pakistan's white-ball skipper on Sunday, four and half months after the batter had stepped down as their all-format captain following their World Cup debacle in India.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi hinted at a change in leadership in T20Is ahead of the T20 World Cup in June. 

The 30-year-old had not joined the Pakistan team for their three-match test tour of Australia, which coincided with his stint at Australia's Big Bash League. Pakistan suffered a 3-0 series defeat to the hosts.

Shaharyar was a career diplomat who served as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chair from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2014 to 2017, also representing the PCB on the ICC Board.

Former captain Mohammad Yousuf, Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq and Asad Shafiq -- who all played for Pakistan -- will be joined on the committee by the current captain, the head coach and a data analyst.

Ahmed played 41 Test matches for Pakistan between 1958 and 1973, aggregating 2991 runs at an average of 40.41. He scored five centuries through the course of his career, three of which came against India.

International cricket only fully returned to Pakistan in 2020, following attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009.