Former pacer Wahab Riaz was advised to take responsibility for Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2024, ARY News reported, citing sources.
According to sources privy to the matter, the former pace bowler received a call from a member of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee before his removal was notified by the board.
The selection committee member asked Wahab Riaz to accept responsibility for the team’s defeat in the T20 World Cup 2024, they said.
However, the former pacer refused to take the advice and was consequently removed from his positions as member of the PCB selection committee and as senior team manager.
View this post on Instagram
Several media outlets reported that Riaz was found of exerting pressure on the selection committee in the team’s selection, an accusation he denies.
Earlier today, Wahab Riaz took to X to refute such rumours, saying that everything done during his stint in the PCB was on record.
“I don’t agree with the statements being discussed about adding pressure to the members of the selection committee; how can 1 vote dominate 6? Everything is documented on record in the meeting minutes,” Wahab Riaz wrote.
A day earlier, Riaz and Abdul Razzaq were axed from the seven-member selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The reshuffle in the selection committee came weeks after Pakistan’s early exit from the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024.
While Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Yousuf are still part of the committee, sources said that both the former players will also be shown the door.
Sources had said that a new selection committee will be announced in the coming days by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who had hinted at a ‘major surgery’ in the setup after Pakistan lost two of their opening games in the T20 World Cup 2024.
