PCB denies rumors of sacking Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected reports that Jason Gillespie has been removed as the head coach of the men’s team in different formats. The PCB said Gillespie will remain as the red-ball coach for Pakistan’s two-match Test series against South Africa, scheduled for December-January.

“PCB vehemently denies the story. As previously announced, Jason Gillespie will continue to coach the Pakistan team in the two red-ball matches against South Africa,” the PCB wrote in a statement on Sunday (November 17).

It was previously learned that the former fast bowler. Aqib Javed will replace Gillespie as head coach Performance of Pakistan team in all three formats. A PCB source had said that Javed was hesitant to take up the role, but PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi convinced him.

“The Pakistan team will fly directly from Australia to Harare after playing the final T20I match on Monday, so the new head coach will join them in Zimbabwe,” PTI quoted the source as saying.

It was also reported that Gillespie rejected the PCB’s offer to become Pakistan’s full-time head coach in limited-overs cricket. The former Australia pacer has been named as the interim coach for the ODI and T20I series against Australia following the departure of Gary Kirsten.

In April, Gillespie was named head coach of Pakistan in Test cricket on a two-year contract. Under his management, Pakistan lost the home Test series against Najmul Hossain Shanto’s Bangladesh, but defeated England 2-1 after initially trailing 1-0 in the series.

Pakistan recently beat Australia 2-1 in the three-match ODI series. However, they have also lost the three-match T20I series after the defeat in Brisbane and Sydney. The final T20I of the series is scheduled to take place on November 18 at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

Pakistan’s first Test against South Africa begins on Thursday, December 26, at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.