Azhar Ali Resigns as PCB Selector and Head of Youth Development

Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has stepped down from his dual role as selector and head of youth development at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), bringing an end to a 12-month tenure. While neither Azhar nor the PCB officially announced the move, ESPNcricinfo confirmed the development.

According to reports, Azhar’s resignation followed a prolonged period of differences between him and the PCB over strategic direction and responsibilities. Tensions reportedly escalated after Sarfaraz Ahmed was appointed—again, without formal PCB confirmation—as the head of the Pakistan Shaheens and Under-19 teams. His new role is understood to include overseeing tours, managing youth squads, and conducting training camps, responsibilities that closely overlapped with Azhar’s own portfolio.

Feeling that his position had effectively been undermined, Azhar submitted his resignation earlier this week, which the PCB subsequently accepted.

Azhar joined the PCB setup in October 2024 as a member of the men’s national selection panel. A month later, the board officially expanded his duties by appointing him as head of youth development—a role described on the PCB’s website as central to shaping Pakistan’s cricketing future. His mandate included developing youth cricket strategies, strengthening grassroots structures, collaborating with regional associations, mentoring young talent under the PCB Pathways Programme, and conducting seminars on off-field player development.

Pakistan’s next major youth cricket assignment will be the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup, scheduled from January 15 to February 6 in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Pakistan, two-time champions (2004 and 2006), will face co-hosts Zimbabwe, as well as Scotland and England, in the group stage.

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