Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq, former Pakistan Test cricketers, have vehemently denied allegations of favoritism and coercion in the selection process for the T20 World Cup. The duo was dismissed as selectors by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday, sparking controversy.
Wahab, who was perceived to be close to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, had held various roles within the board, including chief selector and senior team manager. However, allegations emerged that he had overlooked misconduct by pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi during the World Cup.
In a statement, Wahab refuted these claims, emphasizing that decisions were made collectively by the seven-member selection panel. "Everyone's vote carries equal weight," he said. "We made selection decisions as a team and shared the responsibility equally."
Razzaq echoed Wahab's sentiments, stating that the selectors reached consensus through majority votes. "How can I sway the other selectors while selecting the team?" he questioned.
The PCB had appointed the selection committee in March without a designated chief selector. It comprised former cricketers Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq, along with Wahab, Razzaq, the head coach, captain, and data analyst Bilal Afzal.
The board's analyst Hasan Cheema and director of international cricket operations Usman Wahla also attended selection committee meetings.
The allegations against Wahab and Razzaq have raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of the selection process. The PCB has not yet commented on the matter, but it is expected to investigate the claims.
Tags: #PakistanCricket, #T20WorldCup, #WahabRiaz, #AbdulRazzaq, #PCB
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