He takes on the role amidst a series of modifications after Pakistan's unsatisfactory performance in the ODI World Cup, with Sohail Tanvir now leading the junior selection committee.
Wahab Riaz, the ex-Pakistani fast bowler, has been appointed as the chief selector for the senior men's team. This move follows Inzamam-ul-Haq's resignation due to conflict-of-interest allegations and a series of changes after a subpar ODI World Cup campaign.
Test series in Australia:
Having retired from international cricket in August, Wahab assumes his new role before the three-match Test series in Australia and a subsequent five-match T20I series in New Zealand. Despite not officially retiring from franchise cricket, Wahab received appreciation from his PSL team, Peshawar Zalmi, expressing gratitude for his eight years of "exceptional services."
The rest of the selection panel remains unnamed at this point. Wahab acknowledged the challenging task ahead, emphasizing the upcoming Australia tour and T20I series against New Zealand as crucial opportunities to build a strong team for the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies in June next year.
"I share a positive relationship with Mohammad Hafeez, the Director of the Pakistan Men's Team, and we will collaborate closely to enhance the success of Pakistan cricket. My main objective is to prioritize top performers in domestic cricket, unveiling balanced squads with essential skill sets. I am committed to providing players with constant feedback and advice."
Chief selector role:
The chief selector role became available after Inzamam stepped down on October 30, during the ongoing World Cup when Pakistan was still in the running for a semi-final spot. This decision arose amid inquiries about a potential conflict-of-interest situation.
Reports from certain segments of the Pakistani media indicated that Inzamam was an active director in Yazoo International Ltd, a UK-based company. Talha Rehmani, also a director in Yazoo, is the managing director of Saya Corporation, representing notable Pakistani cricketers like Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan. According to information from the UK government's public sector website (gov.uk), Rizwan is also a director at Yazoo alongside Inzamam, with the company secretary being Intisar-ul-Haq, Inzamam's brother.
Inzamam assumed the directorship in the mentioned company on December 7, 2020. His association with this company was not disclosed when he was appointed as Pakistan's chief selector earlier in the year.
Pakistan formally exited the World Cup on November 11 after their final league-phase loss to England in Kolkata. Babar Azam resigned as captain across all three formats on November 15. Subsequently, Shan Masood and Afridi were named captains for the Test and T20I formats respectively. No ODI captain was announced, considering Pakistan's next ODI series is scheduled in Australia in November 2024, as per the ICC's future tours programme.
Hafeez has been appointed:
Hafeez has been appointed as the team director for Pakistan, taking over from Mickey Arthur. Additionally, he will temporarily assume the role of the team's head coach for the upcoming tours of Australia and New Zealand.
Simultaneously, Sohail Tanvir has been designated as the head of the junior selection committee. The committee's initial task involves selecting the Pakistan Under-19 squad for the Asia Under-19 Cup, scheduled from December 8 to December 17. Subsequently, their focus will shift to the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka, set to take place from January 13 to February 4.
Expressing gratitude, Tanvir stated, "I am genuinely honored for the opportunity extended by Chairman PCB Management Committee Mr Zaka Ashraf. I have faith in the potential of our young talent, and our collective goal is to establish a success pathway from grassroots to the international level."
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