Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday named former captain Shahid Afridi as the interim chief of the National Selection Committe. Afridi will lead the four-member panel, also consisting of former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum, while Haroon Rashid will be the convener. For now, the appointment is only for the upcoming home series against New Zealand, starting with the first Test in Karachi from December 26.
The committee has been tasked with reviewing the Test squad that was announced by the previous panel, which was led by Mohammad Wasim.
"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," Pakistan cricket said in a tweet.
Afridi's appointment came after the earlier Pakistan chief selector Wasim's contract was terminated by the new PCB management committee, which is led by Najam Sethi. All committees established by the now-defunct 2019 constitution have also been dismantled.
On the appointment, Afridi said: "I feel honoured to have been assigned this responsibility by the PCB Management Committee and will no stone unturned in fulfilling this responsibility to the best of my abilities."
"We need to get back to our winning ways and I have no doubts that through meritocratic and strategic selection decisions, we will help the national side to perform strongly in the series against New Zealand and reclaim the confidence of our fans. I will soon convene a meeting of the selectors and will share my plans with reference to the upcoming matches," he added.
The new chairman made this choice as his first action after taking over on Thursday.
Wasim, a former Pakistani batter, was appointed chief selector in December 2020, and it was anticipated that this system would continue through the ODI World Cup in 2023.
He was fired over email on Friday. Wasim's final selection was for the New Zealand series test team at home.
Pakistan played 16 tests during his presidency, winning eight of them and losing six of them, including two home series against Australia (1-0) and England (3-0).
In the 2021 and 2022 editions of the men's T20 World Cup, Pakistan reached the final. Pakistan played 55 T20Is during Wasim's tenure, winning 34 and losing 18. Pakistan also won ten and lost five of the 15 ODIs.
On the other hand, Shahid Afridi played 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20I from 1996 to 2018 in which he scored a total of 11,196 runs and took 541 wickets. He also captained the national side in 83 international matches. He was a member of the Pakistan side that won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2009 at Lord's.
Abdul Razzaq, in a 17-year career from 1996 to 2013, played 343 international matches and scored 7,419 runs and took 389 wickets. He was also a member of the side that won the 2009 side that lifted the T20 World Cup at Lord's.
Rao Iftikhar played a Test, 62 ODIs and two T20Is from 2004 to 2010.
(With PTI Inputs)