Jason Gillespie back in Pakistan cricket as coach of PSL franchise

Australia’s former pacer Jason Gillespie will be back in Pakistan cricket as head coach of Pakistan Super League’s new franchise, Kingsmen Hyderabad, after parting ways with PCB in late 2024 following a stint with the national men’s team.

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Fawad Sarwar, who has brought the new franchise for Pakistani Rs 175,000 crore, confirmed that Gillespie will be the head coach with Grant Bradburn and Craig White as his assistant coaches for PSL 11.

“We have brought in the best for our team, and our coaching panel is already working on getting players for the franchise and the auction on 11th February,” Sarwar said.

Sarwar is a Pakistani businessmen settled in the United States and runs teams in the states and also a cricket ground. His cricket brand is known as Kingsmen.

Gillespie had resigned as head coach of the Pakistan Test team back in late 2024 owing to issues over authority and powers in team matters including selection by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Though he had a two-year contract with the PCB, he left after just 8-9 months in the job during which time Pakistan beat England in a Test series at home and when he worked as interim white ball coach, Pakistan also won one-day series in Australia and South Africa.

Gillespie later lashed out at the PCB and its working style.

Similarly Bradburn was also with the Pakistan team as assistant coach and then head coach and was forced to resign after the 2023 World Cup after an understanding with the PCB.

Sarwar said that he ran his cricket matters under a proper system and he believed Australia had the best coaches.

“Which is why we went for Gillispie,” he added.

Sarwar said that being the owner of Hyderabad was a big achievement for him.

“My goals are to win the PSL and also work with the PCB to renovate and upgrade the Niaz stadium in Hyderabad to make it our home ground in the PSL,” he added.