Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday (March 15) announced the team’s support staff for the upcoming three-T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah.

While PCB named Abdul Rehman as interim head coach, Umar Gul has been appointed as bowling coach. Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Majeed retained their positions as batting coach and fielding coach, respectively.

Rehman has an impressive CV as a coach, having more than a decade of experience in domestic cricket. He is currently associated with Multan Sultan as an assistant coach in the ongoing Pakistan Super League. He also worked with Pakistan’s Under-19 team last year.

On the other hand, Umar Gul was Afghanistan's bowling coach in the last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Down Under. Gul represented Pakistan in 47 Tests, 130 ODIs and 60 T20Is, claiming a total of 427 wickets.

Shadab Khan will lead Pakistan’s new-look T20I team against Afghanistan after selectors rested five senior players, including all-format captain Babar Azam. Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, along with Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman, have also been rested as part of workload management.

Pakistan will depart for the United Arab Emirates on March 22 to play Afghanistan in three T20Is at Sharjah on March 24, 26 and 27.

Complete list of support staff:

Mansoor Rana (team manager), Abdul Rehman (head coach), Umar Gul (bowling coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Talha Ijaz (analyst), Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (media and digital manager) and Drikus Saaimon (strength and conditioning coach)

Pakistan squad: Shadab Khan (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Zaman Khan.