KARACHI, June 30, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Pakistan on Monday named former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood interim head coach of the Test side, the fourth man to take the post in the last 18 months.

The 50-year-old will remain in the position until January, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.

As a pace bowling all-rounder Mahmood played 143 one-day internationals and 21 Tests for Pakistan, and has been serving as assistant coach since last year.

"The PCB announces Mahmood as the acting red-ball head coach of the Pakistan men's team," said a PCB press release.

Mahmood replaces Aaqib Javed, who was interim head coach for the Test series in South Africa in December-January and at home against the West Indies.

Javed left after Pakistan lost all four Tests and finished ninth and last in the third cycle of the World Test Championship.

Javed took over from former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie, who quit six months into his stint in December 2024 after differences with the PCB.

Before Gillespie, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was team director and oversaw a 3-0 Test defeat in Australia.

Monday's appointment is part of a series of changes the PCB has taken to improve the performances of the national team after a poor two years.

Last month, New Zealand's Mike Hesson took over as white-ball head coach for two years.

Pakistan will host South Africa in their first series of the latest WTC cycle in October this year and then Sri Lanka in December-January.