Pakistan Selectors Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq Sacked After T20 World Cup Disappointment

Pakistan's disappointing T20 World Cup campaign has led to the dismissal of Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq as selectors for the national team. The departures, expected to be officially announced later this week, mark the first casualties in the fallout from the team's early exit from the tournament.

Wahab's position as a selector had been under scrutiny following Pakistan's group stage elimination. Despite being removed as chief selector earlier this year, he was widely seen as the de facto head of the seven-member committee. This perception reportedly caused internal frustrations for Wahab, who bore the brunt of criticism for the committee's decisions.

The nature of the selection committee is also likely to be revised, with the appointment of a chief selector expected. The number of selectors may also be reduced, making it unlikely that Wahab and Razzaq will be replaced.

Wahab's departure is a significant setback for a man who was once considered close to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Wahab had served as caretaker sports minister in Naqvi's cabinet and followed him to the PCB, where he was initially appointed chief selector. He also traveled with the Pakistan team to the T20 World Cup as senior team manager.

Naqvi is believed to have been keen to demonstrate that no one is immune from consequences. The decision to dismiss Wahab and Razzaq represents another U-turn in the PCB's selection process. The seven-member committee was only announced four months ago, with Wahab demoted from chief selector. At the time, Naqvi stated that the committee would make decisions based on debate and argument.

The instability within the selection committee has been a persistent issue for the PCB in recent years. Six chief selectors have been appointed in the past four years, including Wahab, Haroon Rashid, Shahid Afridi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim, and Misbah-ul-Haq.

The remaining five members of the selection committee include the head coach and captain of the respective formats, Mohammad Yousaf, Asad Shafiq, and data analyst Bilal Afzal.

Tags: #PakistanCricket, #T20WorldCup, #WahabRiaz, #AbdulRazzaq, #PCB