Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq on Thursday rubbished allegations of favouring certain Pakistan players and forcing other selectors to toe the line in the T20 World Cup. Both the former Test cricketers, Wahab and Razzaq, were on Wednesday sacked as selectors by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The decision to remove Wahab came as a surprise since he is perceived to be very close to the incumbent PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Wahab had also worked as an advisor on sports with wide ranging powers in the caretaker government in Punjab ran by Naqvi, until the elections were held earlier this year.

Since last year, Wahab has also worked in the PCB in various roles such as the chief selector and senior team manager.

Shortly after Wahab and Razzaq were axed, it was alleged that the former, in capacity of senior team manager, had ignored uncooperative and bad behaviour from pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi in the T20 World Cup.

Wahab and Razzaq were also alleged to have insisted on selecting some players who were not in form or fully fit.

Wahab said in a statement, “To make collaborative decisions as part of the seven-man panel to select the national team was a privilege — everyone’s vote carries equal weight, we made selection decisions as a team and shared the responsibility of that process equally,” said Wahab in a statement.

“I don’t want to be in any blame game. But I don’t agree with claims that I put pressure on other members of the selection committee. How is it possible that one vote prevailed over six others,” said Wahab, adding that everything is documented on record in the ‘minutes of the meeting’.

Razzaq said the selectors took collective decisions which were determined by the majority votes. “So how can I sway the other selectors while selecting the team?” he said.

The PCB had appointed a seven-member selection committee in March without a chief selector in place, soon after Naqvi took over as chairman.

The committee also included former cricketers such as Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq, Wahab, Razzaq along with 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.

File image of Wahab Riaz.© X (Twitter)

In the wake of Pakistan’s dismal showing in the T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday gave head coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie a free hand to turn the fortunes of the team, according to sources. Pakistan lost to newcomers USA and arch-rivals India in the Group stages of the World Cup to be eliminated from the competition held in the USA and the Caribbean. Naqvi met the white-ball and red-ball coaches, where Kirsten and Gillespie shared their plans for the national team.

According to the PCB, Naqvi told both the coaches that he had full confidence in them and they would get full backing from the cricket board.

“Kirsten was blunt in laying down his concerns about the white-ball team based on the World Cup,” said a PCB source.

Both the head coaches told the PCB chairman that they wanted to set clear guidelines about the fitness levels required to be considered for Pakistan team selection.

“Naqvi told them they should do whatever is necessary to change the fortunes of the team and no one would ask them to make any compromises on selection or the fitness of players,” the source added.

Kirsten had warned senior pros in the side following the team’s loss to the USA and India to adapt to new skill-sets and improve their game awareness, or get left behind. Senior team manager, Wahab Riaz, in his report submitted to Naqvi, had outlined personality clashes in the side during the World Cup.

“The PCB chief said both the coaches had a free hand to take whatever decisions they wanted to improve the performances of the team in red-ball and white-ball formats.” Assistant coach Azhar Mahmood was also present during the meeting.

The source added that Kirsten, while discussing his experience with the Pakistan team during the World Cup, told Naqvi that there was a need to rebuild combinations in the white-ball format and also change the mindset of players.

Kirsten and Gillespie had agreed to become white-ball and red-ball coaches respectively a few months before the World Cup after Naqvi approached them and offered them long-term contracts with the assurance that they would be given proper opportunities to implement their plans.

Kirsten has also worked with the Indian team and comes to Pakistan with a big reputation.

Former Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz was on the receiving of some trolling from fans on social media after he dropped a regulation catch during the World Championship of Legends (WCL) match against India at Edgbaston. Wahab, who is the current chief selector of the Pakistan men’s senior team, was visibly disappointed after dropping a sitter. The incident happened on the final over India’s innings, with Pakistan already guaranteed to win the match. This happened after Anureet Singh lofted Aamer Yamin’s ball high into the sky.

While Wahab had enough time to settle and pouch the ball, it somehow popped out of his hands. The dropped catch led to Wahab’s criticism, with fans’ questioning his place as the chief selector of the senior men’s team.

Here’s how internet reacted:

Phley Sehe Catches Drop Karte The Aaj Kon Se Pakadne Wale The

Senior Manager, Chief Selector of Pakistan Legend Wahab Riaz #INDvsPAK |#WahabRiaz

Pakistan Champions pic.twitter.com/gmRXZl5NW6

— (@basitlone291) July 7, 2024

Chief Selector of Pakistan for you

The Goat – WAHAB RIAZ pic.twitter.com/jnlna9BJx6

— H A M Z A (@HamzaKhan259) July 7, 2024

Wahab Riaz.

The senior Team Manager & a Chief selector pic.twitter.com/c8pJsopmlo

— M (@anngrypakiistan) July 7, 2024

Senior Manager , Chief Selector of Pakistan Legend Wahab SB #INDvsPAK |#WahabRiazpic.twitter.com/6uHO0OzJQi

— Rana Khurram (@_babarian_56) July 7, 2024

Chief selector of current Pakistan Cricket Team ! #Wahab #PakvsInd pic.twitter.com/ovYjqfXSRe

— Fahad (@fad08) July 6, 2024

The incident didn’t affect the outcome of the match as Pakistan Champions secured a significant 68-run victory over the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions.

This was their third consecutive victory in the ongoing World Championship of Legends 2024 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

After being put into bat by India, Pakistan posted a daunting total of 243/4, thanks to openers Sharjeel Khan and Kamran Akmal‘s 145-run stand.

While Sharjeel scored a blistering 72 off 30 balls, featuring seven fours and five sixes, Akmal made 77 off 40 balls before being bowled by Pawan Negi in the 14th over.

Sohaib Maqsood also left his mark with a 51 off 26 balls, hitting five sixes and two fours.

In reply, India started their chase strongly but kept on losing wickets at regular intervals.

Suresh Raina fought a solitary battle, scoring 52 off 40 balls before being cleaned up by Sohail Tanvir.

The Pakistan Cricket Board might not be able bring about major changes in the national team in the wake of the side’s dismal performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 as that could lead to a confrontation with senior players, according to sources. PCB’s governing board, scheduled to meet here on Saturday, will take cognizance of white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten and senior team manager Wahab Riaz’s reports submitted to chairman Mohsin Naqvi. But a source said, only cosmetic changes will take place and the “same set of players” would likely continue to play.

Naqvi had been quoted as saying following Pakistan’s defeat to India in the World Cup that a “major surgery” was required in the team.

“The reports by Kirsten and Riaz will help the Governing Board and chairman Naqvi decide the next course of action but all indications are there Naqvi doesn’t want a confrontation with senior players and he has also been advised against massive changes in the team,” a source told PTI.

“There are so many outside voices and pressures from within the system that all this talk about big changes is unlikely to happen. So, basically, with a few changes, the same set of players will be in the Pakistan team for coming games as well in all formats,” he added.

On whether Babar Azam would be retained as white-ball captain following the dismal T20 World Cup showing, another source said that while there is a group, including some former Test captains, which wants to see Shaheen Afridi replace Babar, if there are changes, the prime candidates for captaincy would be Shan Masood and Muhammad Rizwan.

“You could see cosmetic changes, like changes in the selection committee, and the same old story of reorganising domestic cricket to help do damage control. But the senior players remain strong,” he said.

Kirsten’s report is said to contain the same observations he made during his interaction with the players in the dressing room after the match against Ireland in the Group stage.

Kirsten had warned senior pros in the side following the team’s loss to the USA and India to adapt to new skill-sets and improve their game awareness or get left behind. Wahab, on the other hand, outlined personality clashes in the side during the World Cup.

Pakistan next play a two-Test series against Bangladesh followed by three Tests against England. It is unlikely that senior players like Babar and Rizwan would want to take a break from these assignments. 

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is likely to take legal action against YouTubers and former cricketers who accused him of ‘misconduct’ during their campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup, Geo News reported, citing sources. Babar and the Pakistan team were on the receiving end of criticism from former players and fans because of their World Cup campaign. Sources informed Geo News that during Pakistan’s campaign, a social media campaign was used to “target” Babar, which made him feel “disheartened.”

It was also reported that evidence related to statements made by YouTubers and former cricketers is being collected by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s legal department.

Some of the players and the officials arrived at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport via a private airline flight in the early hours of Wednesday.

The players who returned included Naseem Shah, Usman Khan, and senior manager Wahab Riaz. But, some of the players from the 15-member squad decided to extend their stay in the United States after their shocking early exit from the tournament.

Babar, along with Imad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Azam Khan, are expected to depart on Saturday.

Ahemd Shehzad, a former teammate of Babar at international and domestic level, has been critical of the Pakistan captain ever since the team crashed out of the T20 World Cup.

After featuring in the finals against England in the last edition of the competition, Pakistan crashed out of the ongoing World Cup in the group stage.

Pakistan ended their campaign with a three-wicket win over Ireland in Florida on Sunday, a dead rubber after India and the USA, from Group A, advanced to the Super 8 stage.

Placed in Group A, Pakistan endured back-to-back defeats against the co-hosts, the USA, and then their bitter rival, India.

They bounced back with two wins on the trot, but it wasn’t enough to turn their woeful campaign around and secure a spot in the Super 8.

Pakistan’s next white-ball series will be against Australia in November. The Men in Green will engage in a three-match ODI series, which will kick off on November 4.

(With Added Inputs)

File photo of Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir.© AFP