In the wake of Pakistan's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup 2024, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has begun implementing changes. This follows the team's embarrassing exit from the group stage under captain Babar Azam. The first step was a shakeup of the team management and selection committee. The PCB announced the dismissal of both Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq. Riaz, who previously held the position of senior team manager, has been removed from both that role and his position on the selection committee. This decision comes after a tournament where Pakistan's struggles were evident from the very beginning. The team suffered a shocking opening defeat to tournament newcomers, the USA. Despite subsequent wins against Canada and Ireland, victories against India and qualification for the knockout stages remained elusive.
The PCB has confirmed that this is just the first step, and they will be announcing the formation of a new selection committee soon.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed that it has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup," the board said in a statement issued on Wednesday, July 10.
"Abdul Razzaq was a member of the men’s and women’s selection committee, while Wahab was a member of the men’s selection committee. The PCB will provide further updates on the selection committee’s composition in due course," the statement added.
Following Pakistan's disappointing group-stage exit at the 2023 ODI World Cup, Wahab Riaz was appointed chief selector in November of that year. He took over the role from Inzamam-ul-Haq. While Riaz recently stepped down from the chief selector position, he remained on the seven-member selection committee. Abdul Razzaq's role encompassed both the men's and women's national teams. He held a dual position on their respective selection committees. Razzaq has also served Pakistan in various coaching capacities, including interim and assistant roles. However, his time on both selection committees has come to an end.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is shaking things up in the team management in the wake of recent disappointments. Following reports from Cricket Pakistan, the PCB will be introducing new personnel for the upcoming series against Bangladesh. An official announcement regarding the new structure is expected soon. This move comes after the dismissal of Wahab Riaz and Mansoor Rana from their respective management roles. According to the PCB, this decision was made due to multiple complaints about their conduct, including disciplinary issues. Riaz, who previously served as the senior team manager during tours of Ireland, England, and the T20 World Cup 2024, will no longer hold that position.
Looking ahead, Pakistan will be hosting Bangladesh for a two-match Test series in August-September 2025. This series is part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC). The first Test will be played in Rawalpindi from August 21-25, followed by the second match in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.
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