Pakistan’s poor T20 World Cup campaign in the USA has seen Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq being sacked from their positions in the Pakistan Cricket Board’s selection committee as well. While the PCB is yet to confirm the much-talked-about development, as per Cricbuzz, it’s only a matter of time before an announcement is made as well.

Both Riaz and Razzaq were part of the seven-member selection committee that chose the squad for the T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, an internal PCB inquiry is believed to have found discrepancies in their decisions. Moreover, the PCB’s decision could be linked to feedback received from various members of the touring committee – including the manager, coach, and possibly even the captain Babar Azam as well. Notably, Razzaq will also be removed from his position on the women’s team selection panel as well.

“The decision was taken following feedback from various stakeholders, including players and support staff, regarding the promotion and selection of certain players despite reservations from other members,” sources familiar with the developments told Cricbuzz.

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Pakistan had a poor season in the T20 World Cup

In an exclusive interview during the tournament, Ramiz Raja, a former head of the PCB, slammed the selection of the team, especially the recall of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, who returned from retirement as well. Moreover, the fact that Riaz and Razzaq are playing in the ongoing World Championship of Legends in Birmingham has not gone down well with the PCB authorities as well.

However, the selection committee was announced by the PCB more than three months ago that too without a chairman. In addition to Wahab Riaz and Razzaq, the committee included Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq, along with the national team’s respective captain and coach, Gary Kirsten or Jason Gillespie as well.

“The seventh member is Bilal Afzal (data analyst), who will be responsible for providing the members with statistics and data to assist in the selection process,” the PCB had stated in its March 24 release.

However, Pakistan faced a shocking defeat at the hands of the co-hosts USA. A close loss to India in New York further dashed their hopes of advancing further in the World Cup, although they managed to beat Canada and Ireland in the group stage as well. India and the USA advanced to the Super 8 stage from Group (A), with India clinching the trophy in Bridgetown, Barbados, on June 29.

Numerous New Zealand cricketers are currently participating in the 2023 Indian Premier League in India. While Kane Williamson, who plays for the Gujarat Titans, suffered a terrible injury in the first game of the season, many other Kiwi stars are in the league, including pacemakers Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult, and Tim Southee, batters Glenn Philipps and Devon Conway, and pitchers Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

Interestingly, Pakistan will also face New Zealand in a five-match T20I and ODI series that begins today. However, the “Black Caps” have brought a weaker team for the shortest format of the series.

The New Zealand team, which includes a number of new players, is led by Tom Latham. Former Pakistani all-rounder Abdul Razzaq wasn’t happy that some of the major New Zealand players skipped the series for the IPL.

Abdul Razzaq mentioned the league and expressed surprise at the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) that New Zealand players received for the IPL

“Firstly, New Zealand should’ve traveled with their strongest squad. Some went to IPL, some were unfit. There’s no interest in the series. When we played Tests, it was their full-strength squad and we saw exciting games,”

Razzaq told Geo News.

“They don’t have strong players right now. It feels similar to the team we sent when we played against Afghanistan. Their terms and conditions are different, their players are busy in the IPL. I don’t know how these guys can get NOCs to play in leagues. The first priority is always the national team. It’s very strange that they’ve traveled with a young team,”

Razzaq further said.

The first of the five T20Is occur at the Gaddafi Arena in Lahore on Friday; After playing two more games in Lahore, the teams will travel to Rawalpindi for the remaining T20Is in the series. Babar Azam will get back to the Pakistan team as their captain, as the hosts field an original capacity crew for the five-match elastic.