Pakistan have appointed former South African first-class cricketer and coach Michael Smith as the batting coach of the national team ahead of their upcoming tour of England.
Smith, a Level 4 qualified coach, will work with both the Test and white-ball sides. His first assignment will be Pakistan’s three-match Test series in England, which begins on August 19 in Leeds.
Although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has yet to make an official announcement, an agreement with Smith has been finalized. He replaces the informal batting support previously provided by national selector Asad Shafiq, who occasionally worked with the batters. Umar Gul will continue as the bowling coach for the Test side.
Smith is no stranger to Pakistan cricket. He previously served as a coach with Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League and was also the assistant coach of Multan Sultans earlier this season.
His appointment comes at a time when Pakistan’s batting, particularly in Test cricket, has faced heavy criticism due to repeated collapses under pressure.
In their most recent Test against West Indies, Pakistan appeared to be in complete control at 244 for 3 before suffering a dramatic collapse. They lost their final seven wickets for just 38 runs in the first innings and were later bowled out for 120 while chasing 211 in the fourth innings, resulting in another defeat.
The batting struggles have become a recurring problem, with Pakistan losing 13 of their last 17 Test matches.
The lower order has also been a major concern. Since the start of 2025, Pakistan’s last four batters have averaged just 9.91 runs per wicket, the lowest among all Test-playing nations during that period. At the same time, Pakistan’s bowlers have allowed opposition lower-order batters to average 27.02 runs per wicket since May 2024, also the worst record among Test teams.
Smith will be tasked with improving Pakistan’s batting consistency as the team prepares for a challenging tour of England. The first Test of the three-match series will get underway at Headingley in Leeds on August 19.
