Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali resigns from PCB roles: sources

LAHORE: Former captain Azhar Ali has resigned from his positions within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), stepping down both as a member of the national men’s selection committee and as the Head of Youth Development, sources confirmed on Tuesday.

He had joined the national selection committee in October 2024 alongside former ICC elite umpire Aleem Dar and ex-Test pacer Aqib Javed. The trio joined Asad Shafiq, who was already serving on the panel.

Their arrival came at a turbulent time for Pakistani cricket, following the innings defeat in the Multan Test against England.

The revamped panel quickly made headlines when it opted for bold changes, dropping star batter Babar Azam and premier pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah from the remaining two Tests of the series.

The move sparked widespread debate but ultimately proved decisive as Pakistan bounced back to seal an impressive 2-1 series win.

A month later, in November 2024, the PCB appointed Azhar as the Head of Youth Development following a formal recruitment process.

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The role placed him at the heart of Pakistan cricket’s future planning: overseeing grassroots structures, designing long-term development pathways and shaping talent progression from junior to elite levels.

Azhar’s exit from both roles comes as a surprise, given the board’s emphasis on strengthening its development framework. The PCB has not yet issued an official statement regarding his resignation or the reasons behind it.

A respected figure in Pakistan cricket, Azhar Ali enjoyed a distinguished international career from 2010 to 2022, earning 97 Test and 53 ODI caps.

He captained Pakistan in nine Tests and 31 ODIs and played a central role in the country’s historic ICC Champions Trophy triumph in 2017.

Statistically, Azhar stands among Pakistan’s modern greats. With 7,097 runs in 96 Test matches at an average of 42.49, he is the nation’s fifth-highest Test run-scorer.

He is standing only behind Younis Khan, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf. His career included 19 centuries and 34 half-centuries, beginning with a maiden Test fifty just two matches after debuting at Lord’s in 2010.

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