Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has issued an official statement after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dropped him from the seven-man selection committee for the men’s team. Abdul Razzaq accused the Pakistan Cricket Board of making him a scapegoat despite the collective decisions of the selectors.
The Pakistan Cricket Board made headlines by removing Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz from their roles in the men’s team selection committee. It took this decision after Pakistan’s disappointing performance at the 2024 T20 World Cup. The Men in Green suffered elimination in the group stage of the event.
The Babar Azam-led side suffered defeats against the United States of America and India in their first two matches of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Despite recording wins against Ireland and Canada, Pakistan failed to qualify for the Super 8s in the recently concluded tournament in the West Indies and the USA.
Your services will no longer be needed – PCB
Following Pakistan’s elimination in the group stage, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has begun revamping Pakistan’s cricket set-up, starting with changes in the selection committee members. Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq reacted on their social media accounts to the recent events and developments within Pakistani cricket.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed that it has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee set up. Abdul Razzaq was a member of both the men’s and women’s selection committees while Wahab was a member of the men’s selection committee. The PCB will provide further updates on the composition of the selection committee in due course,” the board said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Abdul Razzaq expressed his frustration on X (formerly Twitter). Razzaq stressed that all decisions regarding Pakistan’s squad for the T20 World Cup were collective. The former all-rounder questioned how one vote could dominate over the others in the seven-member selection committee.
“If everyone was given equal power, how could one vote outweigh the other six on the selection committee?”
If everyone was given equal power, how could one vote outweigh the other 6 on the selection committee?
– Abdul Razzaq (@ARazzaqPak) July 10, 2024
Both Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq were part of the seven-member selection committee. Riaz also served as the team’s chief executive during the tours of Ireland, England and the recently concluded 2024 T20 World Cup. Razzaq was part of the men’s team selection committee and the women’s team selection committee.
Pakistan Cricket Board appoints new selection committee
In the last four years, the PCB has appointed six different chief selectors. Wahab, Haroon Rashid, Shahid Afridi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim and Misbah-ul-Haq were the first to be sacked following the disappointing performances of the Pakistan team in recent times.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the selection committee, which includes Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, along with Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Yousuf. The captain of the team in question will also be part of this selection committee. This marks a significant change in the management structure of Pakistan cricket.
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