PCB keen to release coach Azhar Mahmood but constrained by contract, says insider

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board is keen to release interim red-ball coach Azhar Mahmood, a former Test all-rounder, but is constrained by the contract signed with him by the previous management of the board, according to an insider.

The source said that if Azhar is released before his contract expires, the PCB will have to compensate him with six months' salary -- a payment of approximately PKR 450 million (USD 160,000).

"Which is why the PCB recently named him as interim head coach of the national red-ball team until his contract expires next year in April-May," the insider said.

He said that, as per information, PCB is paying the all-rounder a salary of approximately PKR 7.5 million per month.

"The problem arose when Mike Hesson, the recently-appointed white-ball head coach made it clear he would have his own support staff and Azhar was not among his selections." "This left the PCB with a major problem of how to utilise Azhar’s expertise to justify paying him such a handsome salary, as even if they wanted they couldn't release him without the six months of compensation," the insider added.

Azhar himself is not happy with how things are working in the board, and despite requests to be assigned with the national junior team, he has faced resistance from some insiders in the PCB.

"(Former pacer) Aaqib Javed, who is now a selector and head of the national cricket academy and close to the board chairman, is not impressed with his (Azhar's) coaching style. But to justify his contract for the time being, they have named him as interim head coach of the Test side." Azhar has been associated with the Pakistan senior squads in various coaching capacities, including assistant and bowling coach, for a number of years and was given his current contract by the previous management of the board.

The insider said the PCB had also faced financial liabilities while trying to release Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbah ul Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed from their contracts as mentors of the domestic teams in the Champions Cup events, which have been cancelled after just one season.