The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former South African first-class cricketer Michael Smith as the batting coach of the Pakistan men's cricket team on a two-year contract, strengthening the national side's coaching setup ahead of this month's crucial Test series against England.
Smith, a highly regarded Level 4-qualified coach with extensive franchise coaching experience, will work with both Pakistan's red-ball and white-ball teams.
The PCB confirmed Smith's appointment on Tuesday after completing its search for a permanent batting coach.
The 46-year-old will join the Pakistan squad before the three-match Test series against England, which begins on August 19.
His appointment fills a specialist batting coaching role that had remained vacant in recent months.
Appointment follows PCB's recruitment process
The PCB began its search for a permanent batting coach in May 2026, inviting applications through a public advertisement.
The deadline for applications was June 7, after which the board evaluated candidates before finalising Smith's appointment.
Before the official announcement, sources had indicated that Smith was the leading candidate for the role, pending completion of the appointment process.
Asad Shafiq served as interim batting coach
Former Pakistan batter Asad Shafiq had been working as the team's interim batting coach since April 2026.
He was appointed as part of the new coaching staff led by Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, while also serving as a national selector.
With Smith's arrival, Asad's temporary responsibilities as batting coach will now come to an end as the PCB fills the position on a permanent basis.
Although Michael Smith never represented South Africa at international level, he has built a strong coaching reputation over the years.
He previously worked with three Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises—Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, and Multan Sultans—giving him valuable knowledge of Pakistan's cricketing environment.
Smith has also served as batting coach for Australia's Hobart Hurricanes and Cricket Tasmania.
In addition, he has worked as a coaching consultant with South Africa's KZN Inland and Eastern Province, further strengthening his coaching credentials.
Strong domestic playing career
Smith enjoyed a successful domestic playing career between 2003 and 2013.
The right-handed batter featured in 89 first-class matches, 72 List A games, and 16 T20 matches, scoring 7,029 runs across formats.
His career included nine centuries and 40 half-centuries, establishing him as a consistent performer in South African domestic cricket.
Pakistan prepare for England Test
Smith's first assignment will be Pakistan's upcoming three-Test series against England, one of the team's biggest challenges in the current international calendar.
The opening Test will be played at Headingley, Leeds, from August 19 to 23.
The second Test is scheduled for Lord's from August 27 to 31, while the third and final Test will take place at Edgbaston, Birmingham, from September 9 to 13.
Immediate focus on improving Pakistan's batting
Smith takes over at a time when Pakistan are looking to strengthen their batting after recent struggles in the longest format.
Calls for a specialist batting coach intensified following Pakistan's batting collapse in the Tarouba Test against the West Indies last week.
The national team already has former fast bowler Umar Gul serving as Test bowling coach, but the batting coach's position had remained unfilled until now.
PCB hopes for stronger batting performances
The PCB believes Smith's appointment will add valuable expertise to the national team's support staff as Pakistan seek improved consistency with the bat.
His immediate challenge will be helping Pakistan reverse a poor run in overseas Test cricket, with the team having lost eight consecutive away Tests since the 2023-24 tour of Australia.
The England series will provide Smith with his first opportunity to help reshape Pakistan's batting unit and improve performances in the longest format.
