The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially appointed former South African first-class cricketer Michael Smith as the batting coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team on a two-year contract. The appointment strengthens the national team’s coaching staff ahead of the highly anticipated three-match Test series against England, which begins later this month.
Smith, a Level 4-qualified coach with extensive experience in franchise and domestic cricket, will work with both Pakistan’s red-ball and white-ball squads. His appointment fills a specialist batting role that had remained vacant for several months.
According to the PCB, Michael Smith will join the national squad before the opening Test against England, scheduled to begin on August 19 at Headingley in Leeds. The board completed the recruitment process after evaluating applications received through a public hiring campaign launched in May 2026.
The PCB had invited applications for the batting coach position with a deadline of June 7. Following a comprehensive selection process, Smith emerged as the preferred candidate due to his coaching credentials and familiarity with Pakistan’s cricketing environment.
Before this appointment, former Pakistan batter Asad Shafiq had been serving as the team’s interim batting coach since April 2026. He took over the responsibilities as part of the coaching staff led by Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed while also continuing his role as a national selector.
With Michael Smith now taking over permanently, Asad Shafiq will return to his primary responsibilities, ending his temporary assignment as batting coach.
Although Smith never represented South Africa at the international level, he enjoyed a successful domestic career between 2003 and 2013. During that period, he played 89 first-class matches, 72 List A games, and 16 T20 matches, scoring more than 7,000 runs across all formats. His record includes nine centuries and 40 half-centuries, making him one of the consistent performers in South African domestic cricket.
His coaching résumé is even more impressive. Smith has previously worked with three Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises—Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, and Multan Sultans—giving him valuable experience with Pakistan’s players and cricket culture.
In addition to his PSL experience, Smith has served as batting coach for Australia’s Hobart Hurricanes and Cricket Tasmania. He has also worked as a coaching consultant with South Africa’s KZN Inland and Eastern Province, earning a reputation for developing technically sound batters.
The appointment comes at a crucial time for Pakistan cricket. The national team’s batting has faced criticism following inconsistent performances in Test cricket, particularly after the batting collapse against the West Indies in the recent Tarouba Test.
Calls for appointing a full-time batting coach intensified after those disappointing performances, with many former cricketers and analysts urging the PCB to strengthen the coaching setup before the England tour.
Pakistan already has former fast bowler Umar Gul serving as the Test team’s bowling coach. Smith’s arrival completes another key position within the support staff as the board looks to improve the team’s overall performances.
His first assignment will be one of the toughest challenges in international cricket. Pakistan will face England in a three-match Test series, with the opening Test taking place at Headingley from August 19 to 23.
The second Test will be played at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London from August 27 to 31, while the third and final Test is scheduled at Edgbaston, Birmingham, from September 9 to 13.
Pakistan will enter the series looking to end a poor run in overseas Test cricket. The team has lost eight consecutive away Test matches since its tour of Australia during the 2023-24 season, highlighting the urgent need for improved batting performances in challenging conditions.
The PCB believes Michael Smith’s experience, technical expertise, and familiarity with Pakistan’s cricket structure will help strengthen the batting unit. His ability to work with players in both franchise and domestic environments is expected to play a key role in improving consistency across formats.
With a demanding England tour ahead and expectations running high, Smith’s appointment marks an important step in Pakistan’s preparations as the team aims to rebuild confidence and deliver stronger performances in international cricket.
