LAHORE: Pakistan’s search for batting consistency has brought an experienced coaching figure into the national setup, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Michael Smith as the men’s team’s new batting coach on a two-year contract.
The appointment was announced on Tuesday, with the 46-year-old set to work with both red-ball and white-ball squads to improve the team’s batting performance across formats.
The PCB said Smith will join the national side ahead of the three-match Test series against England, scheduled to begin on August 19.
مائیکل سمتھ پاکستان مینز ٹیم کے بیٹنگ کوچ مقرر۔
پی سی بی نے مائیکل سمتھ کی تقرری کی تصدیق کر دی۔
مائیکل سمتھ ریڈ بال اور وائٹ بال ٹیموں کے ساتھ کام کریں گے۔
46 سالہ مائیکل سمتھ دو سال کے لیے بیٹنگ کوچ مقرر۔
مائیکل سمتھ نے فرسٹ کلاس، لسٹ اے اور ٹی ٹوئنٹی میں 7,029 رنز بنائے۔…
— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) August 4, 2026
Bringing years of coaching experience, Smith holds a Level 4 coaching qualification and has previously served as batting coach for Cricket Tasmania and the Hobart Hurricanes.
He has also worked with three HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises as part of their coaching staff, giving him familiarity with Pakistan’s domestic and international-level players.
Before moving into coaching, Smith had a successful playing career, scoring 7,029 runs across First-Class, List A and T20 cricket. His record includes nine centuries and 40 half-centuries.
Smith takes over the role previously held by Asad Shafiq, who was appointed interim batting coach in April 2026. Shafiq will continue contributing to Pakistan cricket as a national selector after Smith officially assumes charge.
The PCB’s latest move highlights its efforts to strengthen the team’s technical support staff and develop a more reliable batting approach ahead of upcoming international challenges.
