The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday confirmed the removal of former cricketers Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq from the selection committee following the team’s dismal performance in the T20 World Cup 2024.
“The PCB today confirmed that it has informed Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee,” a press release from the board said.
The board had dropped former cricketers from the selection panel after losing confidence in them over their support for players who failed in the mega event.
The former exclusion of cricketers came at a time when the PCB reorganized the men’s national selection committee with equal powers in March this year to bring more transparency to the process, but the jury-selected team has failed in every series since.
Riaz was a member of the men’s selection committee, while Razzaq was part of the selection committees for both the men’s and women’s teams.
However, due to the men’s team’s poor performance and early exit from the T20 World Cup, along with the women’s team’s back-to-back losses in bilateral series against England and the West Indies.
Their influence was prominent in the World T20 squad selection and they showed more support for players who were not performing well. Their views have also not been taken into consideration for some time, sources added.
However, sources say the PCB has retained Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq and Bilal Afzal in the seven-member panel, which also includes the captain and head coach.
The board of directors stated that it would provide further information on the composition of the selection committee in due course.
With the men’s team and the board under heavy criticism from both fans and the cricketing fraternity following the T20 World Cup fiasco, the PCB chairman met white ball coach Gary Kirsten and red ball coach Jason Gillespie to discuss important matters regarding team. .
On the same day, he also held a meeting with more than two dozen former and current players to discuss the future of cricket in the country, with the top official unveiling a presentation titled “Pathway to Pakistan Cricket” that sheds light on the steps a cricketer takes. make it to the national team.
The PCB chief has already hinted at a “major surgery” and has held consultations with various stakeholders regarding key decisions for Pakistan cricket that are likely to be made in the coming days.
However, there is uncertainty over the leadership of the team as Naqvi said that no decision taken so far was related to Babar Azam and his future as the captain of the national team.
Reason for sacking Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq revealed
Former fast bowlers Wahab Riaz and ex-allrounder Abdul Razzaq have been dropped from the national team selection committee. Sources reveal that the duo has been accused of favoring under-performing players in the selection of the men’s team.
The other selectors were against the inclusion of these players, but Wahab and Razzaq reportedly insisted on their selection. In addition, Wahab Riaz was criticized for not fulfilling his duties as a senior manager during the tour.
According to reports from the coaches, he did not address the unprofessional behavior of Shaheen Shah Afridi and other players who violated discipline due to the presence of their families.
Wahab Riaz and team manager Mansoor Rana were also accused of not following curfew times.
Reports suggest that the chairman of the board has ordered action against those creating factions in the team.
Earlier in the day, Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq were formally dropped from Pakistan’s cricket selection committee. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the decision early on Wednesday citing the national team’s stunning performance in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
Pakistan’s early exit from the tournament, failing to progress past the group stages, prompted the PCB to reassess its selection strategy. “Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz have announced that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee,” the PCB said in a press release.
After Pakistan’s disappointing performance during the T20 World Cup, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has hinted that the national team will undergo major changes.
“I thought the team needed minor surgery to win games, but now it looks like we have to go for major surgery.” It is very disappointing how we lost to USA and now this loss to India. We have to start looking at players outside of the squad now,” he said.
He further added: “Everyone is asking why the team is not playing. The World Cup is still on. But of course we will sit down and look at everything.”
