India, Dec. 30 -- Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has ended Azhar Mahmood's stint as the men's Test head coach, releasing him around three months before the expiry of his contract, which was due to run until March 2026.

The early exit has been positioned as a calendar-driven reset, with Pakistan not scheduled to play another Test until March 2026 and the board keen to put a longer-term red-ball plan in place.

The move, as reported by PTI, brings a stop to an acting arrangement that began in late June 2025, when Mahmood was asked to oversee the red-ball set-up until the conclusion of his then-existing deal. With the next Test assignment also starting around the time his contract was due to end, PCB sources indicated the board preferred to m...