Cricket

Pakistan cricket has been embroiled in turmoil following the resignation of national selector Mohammad Yousuf. The team's dismal performance in the T20 World Cup and the PCB's alleged neglect of domestic performers have sparked widespread criticism.The fallout from these issues was evident in the press conference of Iftikhar Ahmed, captain of the Markhors team in the Champions Cup. Visibly upset after his team's defeat, Iftikhar lashed out at a reporter's question about emerging young talent."What has the media observed?" he retorted. "Don't hype someone after just one innings. Let them perform in domestic cricket for 2-3 seasons before talking about their prospects for Pakistan."Iftikhar's outburst highlights the growing frustration among players and fans over the PCB's handling of young talent. Former players like Ahmed Shehzad have repeatedly criticized the board for favoring inconsistent performers over promising youngsters.However, Iftikhar emphasized that youngsters should earn their place in the national team through consistent performances in domestic cricket. "Let a player succeed in all formats in domestic cricket before talking about him," he said.Iftikhar also blamed the media for contributing to the negative atmosphere surrounding Pakistan cricket. "You guys hype someone after one innings and then bring them down to earth," he said.The PCB's decision to overlook domestic performers has raised questions about its commitment to developing the next generation of cricketers. The resignation of Yousuf, a respected former player, further underscores the challenges facing Pakistan cricket.

Pakistan's Selection Committee Undergoes Further Restructuring as Mohammad Yousuf ResignsThe Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the resignation of Mohammad Yousuf from its restructured selection committee. Yousuf, a former Pakistan captain and batting legend, was one of the five remaining voting members on the committee.In a statement on social media, Yousuf cited "personal reasons" for his decision to step down. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve the Pakistan team and wished them well in their future endeavors.The PCB thanked Yousuf for his contributions and stated that he had "voluntarily stepped down...to focus on other key responsibilities within the cricket board." Yousuf remains a batting coach at the PCB's National High Performance Centre.Yousuf's departure follows a period of volatility within Pakistan's selection setup. Wahab Riaz was appointed chief selector late last year but was sacked along with Abdul Razzaq after Pakistan's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup in June.The current selection committee, which has no chief selector, now consists of the captains and coaches of the national team, as well as Asad Shafiq and Yousuf. With Yousuf's resignation, Shafiq is the only voting member outside of the captains and coaches remaining on the committee.The committee's next task will be to announce the squad for the remainder of Pakistan's Test series against England. The first Test of the series will begin on October 7 in Multan.

Pakistan's star pacer Shaheen Afridi is facing a potential absence from the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh due to the impending birth of his first child. Afridi and his wife Ansha, who tied the knot last year, are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their bundle of joy.Pakistan's red-ball coach, Jason Gillespie, has indicated that Afridi may miss the Test series to be with his wife during this special time. "Shaheen can miss Bangladesh Test matches due to childbirth. We can give him [some] rest if he wants to stay with his wife till then," Gillespie said, as quoted by Geo News.Afridi's absence would be a significant blow to Pakistan's Test team, as he is one of their most potent bowlers. The left-arm pacer has been in impressive form lately, taking 18 wickets in the recently concluded Test series against Sri Lanka.However, Afridi's personal life has also been in the spotlight recently, with reports surfacing about his alleged misbehavior with Pakistan coaches. During Pakistan's T20I tour of England, Afridi reportedly had heated arguments with batting coach Mohammad Yousuf.Sources informed Geo News that Afridi and Yousuf exchanged heated words, but the pacer later apologized to him. Multiple sources within the Pakistan cricket team management confirmed that the issue was resolved quickly.A source recalled the incident, stating that the heated exchange occurred during a training session when Yousuf pointed out Afridi's no-balls. Afridi reportedly became furious after being repeatedly called out for his no-balls."Shaheen said to Mohammad Yousuf to let him do what he was doing, and he [Yousuf] should mind his own business," a source told Geo News, adding that Yousuf responded that he was a coach and doing his job.Despite these off-field distractions, Afridi remains a key player for Pakistan. His absence from the Bangladesh Test series would be a major setback for the team, but it is understandable that he would want to be present for the birth of his first child.Pakistan's next white-ball series will begin in November against Australia. Before that, they will engage in red-ball cricket in a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which will kick off on August 21.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has overhauled its selection committee following the team's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup. The new committee will include coaches of white-ball and red-ball formats, along with the captain of the relevant format. Former cricketers Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq will also join the panel.The decision comes after the Babar Azam-led side crashed out of the group stage of the T20 World Cup. The team's woeful performance prompted PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to make changes in the team management.On Wednesday, the PCB confirmed that Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz would no longer be part of the national selection committee. Razzaq was a member of both the men's and women's selection committees, while Riaz was a selector for the men's team.Riaz was also removed from his position as senior team manager along with team manager Rana Mansoor due to a lack of discipline.Sources have informed Geo News that Wahab and Mansoor were involved in providing undue favors to certain players. These players, who were included in the team based on their support, failed to perform. Other selection committee members reportedly opposed their inclusion.Following his removal from the committee, Riaz took to Twitter to express his disappointment. "There is a lot I can say, but I don't want to be part of the blame games," he wrote.The PCB has had six top selectors in the last four years, including Wahab, Mohammad Wasim, Shahid Afridi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Haroon Rashid, and Misbah-ul-Haq. All of them had brief tenures.The new selection committee is expected to bring stability and consistency to the team selection process. The inclusion of coaches and the captain will provide valuable insights into the team's performance and needs.