Shahid Afridi. Photo: Collected
Metropolis Desk-
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced the appointment of Shahid Afridi as the interim chief selector of the men’s team. Former cricketers Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum are also part of the panel, while Haroon Rashid was named the convener. The announcement came days after Najam Sethi was named the new chairman of the PCB, replacing former cricketer Ramiz Raja in the role.
“PCB Management Committee has appointed former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi as the interim Chair of the Men’s National Selection Committee. Other members of the panel are: Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum. Haroon Rashid will be the Convener,” wrote the PCB on their official Twitter account.
One of the most decorated players in the history of Pakistan cricket, Shahid Afridi led the national team across different stints during his 22-year-long career. Afridi had lifted the 2009 T20 World Cup title with Pakistan. The all-rounder represented Pakistan in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20Is in an illustrious career for the national side.
Joining the former Pakistan captain is Abdul Razzaq – another former all-rounder – who played in 46 Tests, 265 ODIs, and 32 T20Is for the side between 1996-2013. Rao Iftikhar Anjum, meanwhile, is a former pacer who picked 77 wickets for the side in ODIs, making 62 appearances.
Najam Sethi, meanwhile, heads a new 14-member management committee including former Pakistan captains Shahid Afridi and Sana Mir. The government has given them 120 days to restore department teams in the domestic setup and form a new board of governors.
The government also repealed the PCB constitution and restored it to the 2014 position, aiming to bring back department teams. The current constitution, formed in 2019, did not recognize department teams.
“The cricket regime headed by Ramiz Raja is no more,” Sethi had tweeted earlier this week. “The 2014 PCB constitution stands restored. The Management Committee will work tirelessly to revive first class cricket. Thousands of cricketers will be employed again. The famine in cricket will come to an end.”
