PCB set to announce revamped selection committee

Presently, former Test pacer, Wahab Riaz heads the national selection committee, which also includes some other former Test players, including Kamran Akmal, Tauseef Ahmed, Rao Iftikhar.

Former Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz during a press conference. | Photo Credit: AFP

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has decided to revamp the national selection committee to give it more independence and authority to appoint the captain and team.

“I don’t want to get involved in appointing the captain, team, and all that. I will be revamping the national selection committee and will give it more authority and independence to take cricket-related decisions,” PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday during a press conference.

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“The revamped selection committee will, after discussions with the team’s head coach, recommend the captain and team. I want the selection committee, coach and captain to be independent to make decisions which they feel are best for the Pakistan team.

“My job is to govern and administrate the board affairs properly to facilitate the players,” he added.

Naqvi said the board was in final talks with a candidate to take over as Pakistan’s head coach.

“Our team is talking to this person and I don’t want to take his name before everything is finalized,” he said.

“We were also in talks with Shane Watson and one reason for him not accepting the offer was because so many things leaked out in the media most of which were not correct.” Naqvi said he wants to improve the domestic cricket structure and establish a system in which talented players are not only spotted early on but get opportunities to play and also be groomed for future.

“As far as the Pakistan team is concerned I am okay if we win some or lose some but everyone just wants to see 100 percent commitment and the players giving their best on the field,” he said.

Presently, former Test pacer, Wahab Riaz heads the national selection committee, which also includes some other former Test players, including Kamran Akmal, Tauseef Ahmed, and Rao Iftikhar.

Wahab is expected to retain his chief selector’s post or get an enhanced position, as the PCB chief trusts him a lot. The two had worked together in the Punjab government when Naqvi was caretaker chief minister.