‘Major surgery’ begins as PCB removes Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz from selection committee

In a significant shake-up, former cricketers Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq have been ousted from Pakistan's cricket selection committee. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the decision early Wednesday, citing the national team's underwhelming performance at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan's early exit from the tournament, failing to advance past the group stages, prompted the PCB's reevaluation of its selection strategy. "It has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup," stated the PCB in a press release.

Razzaq had roles in both the men’s and women’s selection committees, whereas Riaz was involved only with the men’s team. The PCB assured that further details regarding the new composition of the selection committee would be disclosed shortly.

The committee still includes notable figures such as Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, and Bilal Afzal, the team's data analyst, alongside the head coaches and captains of various formats.

Following Pakistan’s disappointing performance during the T20 World Cup, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi had indicated that the national team will undergo major changes.

“I thought the team required minor surgery to start winning matches but now it appears that we have to go for major surgery. It is very disappointing the way we lost to the USA and now this loss to India. We need to now start looking at players beyond those in the team right now,” he said.

He further added, “Why the team is not performing is something everyone is asking. The World Cup is still on. But obviously, we will sit down and take a look at everything."