The Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team is experiencing a major transformation as the Pakistan Cricket Board moves to dismiss Wahab Riaz from his position and install a foreign head coach. The board’s decision was influenced by the need to build a competitive team ahead of the 2028 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which Pakistan is set to host.
Wahab Riaz became head coach of the women’s squad in December 2025, after having at least six different coaches since 2020. However, the results under his guidance have fallen short of expectations. The squad played poorly in the Women’s T20 format and suffered in bilateral series against Sri Lanka, adding to the dissatisfaction that had already built up following a disappointing ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup campaign in India, when Pakistan battled, among other things, against Sri Lanka.
According to NDTV, coaching instability existed before to the arrival of Wahab Riaz.
Following the same World Cup loss, Muhammad Wasim was fired as head coach in November 2024. The PCB is now searching for a longer-term solution, such as recruiting someone from abroad. Wahab Riaz was appointed coach of the Pakistani women’s squad for the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026 on October 27, 2026, making the alleged transfer all the more remarkable.
Why does the PCB prefer foreign appointments?
In addition to present problems, the board’s preference for a foreign coach is based on past practices. Some of Pakistan’s stronger performances can be ascribed to foreign trainers David Hemp and Mark Coles. Coles was the team’s first coach from 2017 to 2019, and he returned temporarily in 2023. The outcomes of their tenures shaped the PCB’s perspective.
The board’s opinion that new foreign experience is required to stabilize the program and raise standards is bolstered by recent underperformance and the importance of the 2028 hosting duties.
When does the new coach take over?
The PCB has created a stringent internal timeframe for concluding the appointment. According to an NDTV source, the new coach will take over ahead to the women’s team’s next international tour of the West Indies. As of this writing, there has been no official announcement confirming Wahab’s departure, and the identities of those under consideration have not been made public.
However, it appears that the board aims to implement a new coaching system well in advance of the tour, giving the new coach time to analyze the team and begin preparing for the 2028 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Riya Verma is a cricket news editor passionate about delivering accurate and timely cricket coverage. She focuses on editing and publishing match updates, player news, tournament developments, and important stories while maintaining a clear and reader-friendly approach.
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