In a decisive move following Pakistan’s disappointing 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has removed Abdul Razzaq and Sports Minister Wahab Riaz from the national team selection committee.
The PCB’s confidence in Wahab and Razzaq had reportedly been waning for some time, as their influence in selecting the T20 World Cup squad came under scrutiny. It was noted that the duo’s input had not been considered in recent deliberations.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed that it has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup. Abdul Razzaq was a member of the men’s and women’s selection committee, while Wahab was a member of the men’s selection committee,” read a brief press release issued by the PCB on Wednesday. “The PCB will provide further updates on the selection committee’s composition in due course.”
While Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq exit the committee, Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, and Bilal Afzal remain part of the panel.
The shake-up in the selection committee comes amid a broader effort by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to revitalize Pakistan cricket. On Tuesday, Naqvi held two significant meetings: one with Pakistan’s white-ball coach Gary Kirsten and red-ball coach Jason Gillespie to discuss comprehensive plans for improving the team’s batting, bowling, and fielding; and another with over two dozen former and current cricketers to discuss the future of cricket in the country.
Naqvi’s meeting with the cricketers began with a presentation titled “Pathway to Pakistan Cricket,” which detailed the journey a cricketer undertakes to reach the national team. The session underscored the importance of structured development and strategic planning in nurturing cricketing talent.
Attendees of this meeting included COO PCB Salman Naseer, Director High-Performance Nadeem Khan, Director International Usman Wahla, Director Domestic Cricket Operations Abdullah Khurram Niazi, and Member Selection Committee Bilal Afzal. Other notable figures present were Abdur Rauf, Aamer Malik, Asim Kamal, Azhar Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Basit Ali, Haroon Rashid, Ijaz Ahmed, Intikhab Alam, Iqbal Qasim, Mohammad Sami, Rashid Khan, Saleem Altaf, Saleem Yousuf, Salman Butt, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sadiq Mohammad, Shafiq Ahmad, Shafqat Rana, Sikander Bakht, Wajahatullah Wasti, Yasir Hameed, and Yasir Shah.
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Don’t know what was kept in mind to include Wahab Riaz in the selection committee. There could have been more other names that should’ve been considered. Sorry to say but PARCHI system still prevails. The guy has no performance at all in comparison to good quality players.