PCB Plans Major Overhaul Following T20 World Cup 2024 Debacle, Players Likely to Face...

The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to reinstate its previous selection committee system following the disastrous outcome of not having a chief selector during the T20 World Cup. Pakistan's humiliating exit in the group stage, marked by losses to underdogs USA and fierce rival India, has prompted this crucial decision. The experiment has proven to be a costly mistake, and the board is now determined to rectify the situation to prevent such a debacle from occurring again.

"The board is likely to return to the old system of having a chief selector along with two or three selectors, with the captain and head coach not participating in selection meetings," a source told PTI.

Former Test fast bowler Wahab Riaz, a key member of the selection committee that selected the team for the T20 World Cup, is poised to maintain his influential role on the board and may even ascend to the position of chief selector.

Wahab Riaz previously held the position of chief selector until the PCB overhauled the selection process, transitioning from a three or four-member committee to a panel of eight selectors. This new system includes the captain and head coach, Babar Azam and Gary Kirsten, as selectors, along with a data analyst and former cricketers such as Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, and Abdul Razzaq.

Despite already serving as the national team's senior manager, a role that overlapped with the existing team manager during the World Cup, Wahab's influence continues to grow. It is rumored that his close relationship with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has solidified his position. Naqvi entrusted Wahab as an advisor during his tenure as caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, further cementing Wahab's standing within the PCB.