Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq sacked

The decision comes in the wake of Pakistan’s poor show in T20 WC

LAHORE:

Former cricketers Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq have been removed from Pakistan’s selection committee.

The decision follows Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2024, where the team failed to progress beyond the group stage.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday morning confirmed the development in an official statement, saying “It has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup.”

“The PCB will provide further updates on the selection committee’s composition in due course,” PCB statement added.

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.

The remaining five members of the men’s selection committee include the head coaches and captains for their respective formats, along with Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, Bilal Afzal (data analyst).

Sources reveal that team manager Mansoor Rana will also be removed from his position. The PCB has decided to bring in new faces to the team management ahead of the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

The PCB is expected to make an official announcement soon, outlining the new team management structure. The decision to relieve Riaz and Rana stems from various complaints regarding their behavior. Both have been accused of disciplinary violations, leading to the consensus that they should no longer be part of the team management.

Adding to the changes, Riaz has been also removed from Pakistan’s selection committee. This decision follows Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2024, where the team failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Inside story

The inside story regarding the dismissal of Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq from the selection committee and management has been revealed.

A significant factor in their removal was the head coach, Gary Kirsten and assistant coach, Azhar Mehmood’s report, which highlighted several issues.

According to sources, Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq were accused of favoring certain players during team selections, despite these players’ poor performances.

This decision was met with resistance from other selectors, but Wahab and Razzaq insisted on their inclusion.

Furthermore, Wahab Riaz was criticized for failing to meet his responsibilities as a senior manager during foreign tours.

The coaches’ report also mentioned Shaheen Shah Afridi’s lack of seriousness, which Wahab Riaz did not address. There were further complaints about other players committing disciplinary violations due to having their families with them.

Both Wahab Riaz and Mansoor Rana were unable to enforce curfew timings.

Furthermore, the board chairman has instructed that action be taken against individuals who are creating factions within the team.

Moreover, former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has strongly criticized the country’s current selection system, calling the presence of seven selectors “unacceptable.”

In a recent interview with a local sports platform, Hesson expressed concerns about the lack of accountability and consistency in the Pakistan team’s selection process.

“Having seven selectors is just unacceptable in my view. Every country around the world is consolidating in terms of having accountable individuals responsible for selection. To increase that to seven is outrageous. How can you achieve consistency in selection with so many conflicting views? How can people understand succession planning?” Hesson questioned.

“Condense that; get real commitment. If I plan to pick young players and invest in their long-term development, I don’t want them discarded after one series or a few games. I want support to allow them ample time to adapt to international cricket and flourish,” he added.