Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz has been named the caretaker Sports Minister of Punjab, with the 37-year-old the latest Pakistani cricketer to join politics in the country. Wahab is currently turning out for the Khulna Tigers in the Bangladesh Premier League, and will take his oath of office once he returns home.
However, this casts doubts on his involvement with the Pakistan Super League (PSL), although reports suggest that the veteran pacer will take part in the competition.
Wahab plays for Peshawar Zalmi and was the captain of the side until Babar Azam's move to the 2017 champions saw him take over the role. He was retained in the Diamond category by Zalmi, a downgrade from his erstwhile Platinum status.
This does not take anything away from his status as the runaway all-time leading wicket-taker in the PSL with 103, and Hasan Ali a distant second with 81.
Wahab last played international cricket for Pakistan in 2020, playing 27 Tests, 91 ODIs and 36 T20Is in all, taking 237 wickets across formats. His appointment was notified by Mohsin Naqvi, the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, and is set to hold the position until provincial elections are likely to take place in Punjab in April.
The veteran pacer has been given this responsibility after a majority of the assemblies were dissolved in the lead-up to provincial and national elections. In such a situation, the caretaker government oversees elections, and ministers holding these temporary positions are appointed and not elected.
Wahab does not have overtly political affiliations or administrative experience, though his late father-in-law and Naqvi were prominent members of Lahore's business community.
