The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed the appointment of Mike Hesson as the new head coach of the national men’s white-ball team.

Hesson’s tenure is set to begin on 26th May 2025, a day after the conclusion of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He has previously coached New Zealand and Kenya, as well as Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Hesson is currently the head coach of defending PSL champions Islamabad United.

His selection follows a comprehensive review of multiple applications submitted for the position, which became vacant after Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand in April. Hesson's appointment also comes on the heels of a turbulent period in Pakistan cricket, which saw former white-ball coach Gary Kirsten and Test coach Jason Gillespie resign within two months.

Aaqib Javed then stepped in as interim head coach, following a public dispute between Gillespie and Javed, with the former accusing the latter of undermining both him and Kirsten “behind the scenes”. Gillespie also claimed that the PCB owed him money for his services, to which the board responded by stating he had breached his contract by resigning without serving the required notice period.

Pakistan has had a difficult run, winning only one of their last eight One-Day Internationals (ODIs), including losses in all their games during the 2025 Champions Trophy. Their form in T20 internationals has been similarly disappointing, with just one victory in their last eight games. They were eliminated in the first round of the T20 World Cup last year after a shock defeat to the USA and also failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup.