Aoba Tanaka 
In the aftermath of Pakistan’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, significant changes are being made within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq have both been dismissed from their roles as selectors. Razzaq, who was recently appointed to the selection committee for both the men’s and women’s teams, will also no longer serve as a selector for the women’s team. Official announcements regarding these departures are expected later this week.
As previously reported by ESPNcricinfo, Wahab Riaz’s position was under threat following Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup group stages. Despite being removed as chief selector earlier this year and then appointed as one of seven selectors on a committee without a chief, Wahab was often perceived as the de facto head. This perception led to him shouldering much of the criticism for the committee’s decisions, causing internal frustration.
The PCB is likely to reconstitute the selection committee, potentially appointing a new chief selector and reducing the number of committee members. This makes it unlikely that Wahab and Razzaq will be replaced to maintain the committee’s current size.
Wahab Riaz’s dismissal marks a rapid decline for someone previously seen as closely aligned with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Wahab served as caretaker sports minister in Naqvi’s cabinet when Naqvi was caretaker chief minister of Punjab and followed him to the PCB, where he was initially appointed chief selector. Wahab also traveled with the Pakistan team to the T20 World Cup as senior team manager, a role he is also expected to lose. Naqvi, keen to show that no one is immune to consequences, has demonstrated a commitment to accountability with this decision.
This move represents another U-turn in the PCB’s approach to player selection. The seven-member selection committee was formed less than four months ago, with each member having an equal vote. At that time, Naqvi emphasized that the committee would make decisions based on debate and consensus. However, this new development continues the instability that has plagued the PCB’s selection process, which has seen six chief selectors over the past four years.
The remaining five members of the selection committee include the head coach and captain of the respective formats, as well as Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, and Bilal Afzal, a data analyst. The PCB will need to navigate these changes carefully to ensure stability and success for the national teams moving forward.
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