The Pakistan Cricket Board has reportedly completed the signing of respected Australian fielding specialist Shane McDermott as the men’s all-format fielding coach.
The 44-year-old McDermott was one of two finalists for the job and arrives with a broad résumé across international and domestic cricket. He holds a High Performance Level Three Coaching Certificate and has previously contributed to setups in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and his native Australia.
Shane McDermott also reportedly had the backing of Pakistan’s newly appointed white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, who worked closely with him during previous assignments. He is expected to link up with the squad ahead of the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh.
An official announcement from the Pakistan Cricket Board is likely later this week.
Between 2022 and 2023, Shane McDermott served as Assistant Fielding Coach with Bangladesh’s national team and earlier spent three years as Sri Lanka’s senior team fielding coach while also leading the Sri Lanka A program. Most recently, the Australian worked with Afghanistan.
His earlier coaching experience includes seven years with Cricket Australia’s National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, where he held positions ranging from Interim Assistant Coach to National A Team Analyst and Fielding Coach.
Pakistan’s fielding has long been a concern, with inconsistency often proving costly in major tournaments. Shane McDermott’s appointment is seen as part of a broader push to sharpen standards and instill a more professional approach under a restructured coaching group.
Pakistan face a busy schedule over the next few months, starting with the Bangladesh T20I series before travelling to the Caribbean for an expected five-match T20I contest against the West Indies.
Shane McDermott’s arrival adds international expertise to a coaching team tasked with transforming Pakistan into a more disciplined and competitive outfit across all formats.