His departure comes at a time of increasing speculation about the fate of other four mentors who were appointed along with Malik in 2024

Danyal Rasool15-May-2025Shoaib Malik has quit his position as one of five mentors appointed by the PCB for domestic competitions, citing other commitments. Malik, who said he submitted his resignation to the board two weeks ago, said he would fulfill his remaining contractual obligations, but would not be a mentor for the next season. The other mentors are Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Waqar Younis.”This was not an easy choice, but after reflecting on my commitments, I realised that juggling multiple responsibilities would prevent me from giving my best – both to Pakistan cricket and to my other professional and personal priorities,” Malik said. “To ensure fairness to all, I believe this is the right time to transition. Working with some of Pakistan’s most talented cricketers has been an immensely rewarding experience, one I will always cherish.”Malik’s departure as mentor comes at a time of increasing speculation about the fate of all of the mentors. The day Malik made his resignation public, media reports suggested the PCB had decided to let go of all five mentors as they look to scale down what was an unprecedently busy domestic season last year. It is not certain that the Champions Cup, promoted as the jewel in the crown of the domestic season last year, which saw players pulled away from Test preparation ahead of the England series, will take place at all.Related

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However, a spokesperson at the PCB said an official decision had not been communicated by chairman Mohsin Naqvi to the board. ESPNcricinfo spoke to three of the four other mentors, each of whom said they had not been informed about any changes to their role. All five mentors were appointed on three-year contracts running until 2027.The appointment of the mentors in August last year was controversial, particularly when reports of their financial remuneration came to light. Each of the five are believed to be on three-year contracts, earning in the range of PKR 5 million (approx. USD 18,000) per month. Those salaries have raised eyebrows because they are higher than what is paid to all but the most elite Pakistani cricketers – the category A players Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan, in the central contracts pool.Besides, the vague nature of their job descriptions left the question of what they would actually do unclear. Initially appointed as mentors for each of the sides in the Champions Cup, the roles are separate from coaching. Each side had a separate coaching set-up – and the mentors did not require coaching qualifications.In a statement to ESPNcricinfo last year, the PCB had said that it “as a responsible organisation, never discusses in public salaries of its staffers and consultants, which remain a matter between the employer and the employee”.The PCB has not yet announced a replacement for Malik, or whether they intend to replace him.