PCB names Muhammad Wasim as chief selector till World Cup 2023

• Muhammad Wasim will be taking over from Misbah-ul-Haq 
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  Appointments were confirmed after PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani completed the final round of online interviews 

• PCB says both appointments  are in line with PCB’s five-year plan
  

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced that former batsman and Head Coach of Northern Cricket Association Muhammad Wasim will be the new chairman of the national selection committee and Saleem Yousuf will head the PCB Cricket Committee.

Wasim will be taking over from Misbah-ul-Haq who resigned from the post after the England tour but decided to continue as the head coach.

“Muhammad Wasim has been appointed as the Chairman of the Pakistan men’s national selection committee, while Saleem Yousuf has been confirmed as the Chair of the PCB Cricket Committee. To ensure consistency and continuity, both have been appointed till the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023,” read the PCB statement.

The PCB said the appointments were confirmed after Chairman Ehsan Mani completed the final round of online interviews on Thursday and Friday.

PCB CEO Wasim Khan said that Wasim and Yousuf have “sound knowledge of cricket, understand the rigours and demands of the modern game and are highly respected across the cricket fraternity”.

“Both the gentlemen are also aligned to the PCB’s five-year strategic pillar of strengthening our merit and opportunity-based domestic structure, as well as improving our international rankings across all formats,” said the PCB CEO.

Khan said that they had the chief selector to go with its strategy to “groom, develop and provide leadership opportunities to talented cricketers”.

“He is a young, progressive and bold thinker who is in sync with our new High Performance Player Framework, and is one of the very few people who are completely aware of the pool of talented cricketers available at the domestic level,” he said.

The board said that Wasim’s first team announcement will be to select a side to for the two Tests and three T20Is series against South Africa scheduled for mid-January.

The 43-year-old was already a member of the Misbah-ul-Haq’s selection panel till November 30 by being the head coach of the Northern Cricket Association.

The PCB said that the former batsman will take charge after the end of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy’s final which will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi from January 1, 2021.

“There is no change to the composition of the selection committee and head coaches of the six first XI Cricket Association sides will continue to serve on the panel,” said the PCB. It added that whoever will replace Wasim at the Northern Cricket Association will become the sixth member of the selection committee.

“We have a busy 2021 year ahead and I will focus on being positive on selections that not only address our short-term needs but also fulfil our long-term ambitions,” said Wasim in a statement shared by PCB. He said that the country has “immense talent”, adding that it is important to give them opportunities.

Saleem Yousuf appointed chair of Cricket Committee

In another move, the PCB also appointed former wicketkeeper Saleem Yousuf as the chair of the cricket committee with the panel set to meet in Karachi ahead of the first Test against South Africa.

The committee advises PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani on cricket-related matters, including but not limited to the performances of the national cricket teams and their management, domestic cricket structure, high-performance centres and playing conditions.

“The committee has the powers to invite relevant personnel for its quarterly meetings to assist as part of its evaluation, assessment and recommendation process,” said the PCB statement.

Saleem Yousuf had last served worked with the PCB as a member of the national selection committee from 2013-2015.

Yousuf will head the panel that presently includes Ali Naqvi (match officials’ representative), Umar Gul (current cricketers’ representative), Urooj Mumtaz (women cricketers’ representative), and Wasim Akram (former cricketers’ representative).

Yousuf called the opportunity an “honour” to lead a group “which boasts some highly respected and knowledgeable people”.

“With the support of my colleagues on this committee, I look forward to making a significant contribution so that we can continue to move Pakistan cricket forward,” said Yousuf.