PCB Dismisses Selectors Wahab Riaz And Abdul Razzak After T20 World Cup Debacle

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly dismissed former cricketers Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzak from the selection committee following their poor performance at the T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, exited the tournament last month in the group stages after defeats to arch-rivals India and a shocking loss to the USA in their opening match.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had hinted at a "major surgery" after Pakistan's loss to India. Following the dismal World Cup performance, the selectors were the first to face consequences.

Apart from a disappointing T20 World Cup, Pakistan also suffered defeats in home series against a second-string New Zealand team, followed by losses to Ireland and England before heading to the tournament in the USA and Caribbean.

According to ESPN Cricinfo, PCB is likely to reconstitute the selection committee. A chief selector is expected to be reappointed after Wahab was removed from the role earlier this year despite being named last year.

Over recent years, PCB has had six chief selectors: Wahab, Haroon Rashid, Shahid Afridi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim, and Misbah-ul-Haq all served brief stints.

Wahab and Razzak's Roles

Following his role change, Wahab was officially appointed as one of seven selectors alongside a data analyst, head coach Bilal Afzal, and former cricketers Razzak, Mohammad Yousuf, and Asad Shafiq.

Wahab was appointed chief selector in November 2023 after the ODI World Cup. Razzak was named as a selector for both men's and women's teams just weeks ago.

Official Announcements Pending

Razzak will also be sacked as a selector for the women's team. The report states that their departures will be officially announced later this week.

The reports of their sacking surfaced while both Razzak and Wahab are in the United Kingdom participating in the World Championship of Legends for the Pakistan Champions team. The team has qualified for the semi-final in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

The PCB's decision reflects its dissatisfaction with recent performances and aims to bring about significant changes within its cricketing structure.