One of Pakistan’s most efficient and qualified coaches, Aftab Khan, remains focused and motivated to serve the country and has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to keep faith in his abilities and engage him for more assignments in international as well as domestic cricket.
A former under-19 player who represented Pakistan in 2000, Aftab has been a diligent, hard-working coach for Pakistan – at both the domestic and international level – and has earned praise from several former and current players for being one of the best in the trade.
Though he is currently working in Houston with the Knight Riders, Aftab’s heart is in Pakistan and he is awaiting more coaching opportunities from the PCB after his successful stint with the national team in 2023-24.
“The entire experience of being with the Pakistan team as coach in 2023-24 has been very enriching for me and I am very thankful to the PCB for providing me with the opportunities to serve my team and my country,” says Aftab. “Yes indeed, it has posed new challenges, but they are the real tonic for me as a coach to keep working hard and remain motivated.”
Hailing from Peshawar, Aftab was first hired to accompany the Pakistan team to Sri Lanka as fielding coach in 2023. It was a highly successful tour as Pakistan won the two-Test series 2-0. The young coach’s approach in coaching and his untiring efforts were clearly noticed and appreciated on the tour.
Aftab’s services as coach were retained for the Asia Cup that same year and later for the New Zealand’s T20 series in Pakistan. Then came the big moment when he travelled with the Pakistan team to India for the 50-over World Cup. “The World Cup in India was, indeed, an unforgettable experience for me,” recalls Aftab. “With all the top teams from around the world competing in the mega event and with the sort of pressure that were there, I gained tremendously, both personally and professionally, in the World Cup for which I am eternally grateful to the PCB.” 
In 2024, Aftab was part of the national team during the back-to-back tours to Ireland and England which were followed by the much-hyped T20 World Cup in the United Stated and the West Indies in June. 
Earlier, at the domestic level, too, Aftab proved his credentials as coach when he worked with the Habib Bank team and helped earn them the one-day departmental tournament as well as the 4-day tournament titles.
“Of course, I loved working with Habib Bank which is the team for which I played for so many years as First Class cricketer,” says Aftab with a glint in his eyes as he recalled his playing days. “Those were fabulous times. I feel so proud that I was Man of the Match for HBL in that famous, thrilling day-night Quaid Trophy final against PIA in 2010-11.” 
Aftab’s consistent performance as the coach of Habib Bank earned him a call from the PCB in 2020 to join the KP outfit as coach and work under the wings of  former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq. “Working with Razzaq Bhai, who is a legend, was like a dream come true for me,” recollects Aftab. “KP is my birthplace and the coaching job with the KP sent my adrenalin pumping from the word go. It was a highly rewarding stint as the KP won the National T20 title, clinched the one-day cup and were also the joint Quaid Trophy winners in the same year.”
Aftab is also working with the PSL outfit Peshawar Zami as a coach and is excited about his role. “Working with Javed Afridi and the Zalmi set-up is absolutely wonderful and I am looking ahead to an exciting tenth season of Pakistan Super League,” he says.
One can see and admire how Aftab is every bit as motivated and determined to excel in his coaching today as he ever was, and is eagerly awaiting for more such opportunities from the PCB to serve Pakistan Cricket at the domestic and international level. 
The PCB will be well advised to utilise the services of a diligent, patriotic and competent coach like Aftab and to create regular and consistent assignments for him so that he is not compelled to look elsewhere for his livelihood and survival.