Reports: Azhar Ali, a former captain of Pakistan, is applying for the NCA Director position.

In the weeks that followed the team’s miserable performance in the ODI World Cup 2023, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a number of significant personnel changes. The Cricket Governing Board of Pakistan has made a number of changes to the coaching staff and selection panel and is currently seeking a new NCA Director. The former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali is reportedly one of the aspirants for the position for which PCB has opened applications. January 2024 will see the appointment of the next NCA director. The insider says Ali is eager to start working there.

The Hindustan Times quoted the source as saying, “The PCB is also pleased that Azhar has expressed interest, given his background in cricket and education.”

As for the NCA, New Zealander Grant Bradburn was ousted from his post by the PCB, and another former bowler from Pakistan, Nadeem Khan, is now working in that capacity.

Ali, who is currently 38 years old, gave up playing cricket internationally in 2022. He’s in Pakistan right now for a departmental competition. With his brilliant international career coming to an end, the right-handed hitter has been participating in first-class cricket.

International cricket records held by Azhar Ali

In a Test match at Lord’s in July 2020, the cricketer from Lahore made his debut on the international front against Australia. A year later, against Ireland, he made his ODI debut. Ali played his final international game in December 2022, against England.

Known mostly for his red-ball skills, Ali went on to represent the “Men in Green” in 97 Test matches. He amassed 7,142 runs at a 42.26 average, scoring 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries. Ali amassed 1,845 runs at an average of 36.90 and a strike rate of 74.46 in 53 ODI matches. At the end, he had three hundred and twelve fifties in the format.

A three-match Test series between Australia and Pakistan is underway. By a margin of 360 runs, Perth lost the first Test. On Tuesday, December 26, in Melbourne, the second Test will begin.