Following disappointing performances from the Pakistan cricket team in the T20 World Cup, the country’s cricket board decided to remove Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq from the 7-man selection committee, which chose the squad for the marquee event.
In a statement released on Wednesday, PCB said, “The Board has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup.”
Razzaq was also a member of the women’s selection committee alongside the men’s cricket team, while Wahab was a prominent figure in the seven-member committee of the men’s team. Both have been relieved of their duties. Wahab previously served as the chief selector before being reinstated as a member of the selection committee. He also traveled with the team to the T20 World Cup as a manager.
Furthermore, Riaz and Razzaq's participation in the ongoing World Championship of Legends, which is being held in Birmingham, has not gone down well with the PCB officials. Their choice to participate in charity games at a time when PCB is under intense criticism is not warmly received.
Former Pakistan captain and ex-PCB chief Ramiz Raja had earlier criticized the inclusion of Imad Wasin and Mohammad Amir, who came out of retirement to be a part of the T20 World Cup squad.
Scrutiny For Pakistan’s Poor Show
An internal investigation carried out by the PCB has shown anomalies in several of the committee's conclusions. It is also being reported that the decision is related to input received from several members of the touring committee, including the manager, coach, and potentially even the captain, Babar Azam.
Free Hand to Kirsten and Gillespie
Previously, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that there would be significant changes in the structure of Pakistan’s team after poor performances in the World Cup. On Tuesday, he met with the head coaches, Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, to give them a free hand to turn the nation’s cricket fortunes around.
