Abdul Razzaq breaks silence after being excluded from selection committee

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has reacted after his ouster from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee. The move comes after Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2024, where the team failed to progress beyond the group stage.

The PCB confirmed the changes in an official statement on Wednesday morning, saying: “It has informed Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the composition of the national selection committee.”

Razzaq took to social media platform “X,” where he discussed the discussions surrounding his dismissal. “If everyone had equal power, how could one vote outweigh the other six in the selection committee?” Razzaq posted.

Similarly, former bowler Wahab Riaz, who was also recently relieved of his role as selector, shared his thoughts in a detailed statement on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). Riaz expressed pride in his contributions and highlighted the collective nature of the selection process.

“My tenure as a member of the PCB selection committee is coming to an end; I just want my people to know that I have served the game I love with faith and sincerity and given 100 percent for the betterment of Pakistan cricket,” Wahab posted.

“It was an honour to be part of the selection committee. Making collaborative decisions as part of the seven-man panel tasked with selecting the national team was a privilege – everyone’s vote carried equal weight, we made selection decisions as a team and shared responsibility for the process equally,” he added.

“It was an honour to be a part of that. It was also an honour to support Gary Kirsten and the coaching staff as they defined their vision for this team. I am confident that the team plans put in place by the coaches will allow this team to continue to become a dominant force as we move forward, and I wish them the best of luck on that journey,” he said.

“I am grateful to the people who prayed for me. I wish only success for the future of the Pakistan cricket team,” he concluded.

In light of these changes, the PCB has announced the formation of a new selection committee. The committee includes renowned former cricketers Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq, along with esteemed coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten. Additionally, captains Shan Masood and Babar Azam, who lead the men’s white-ball and red-ball teams respectively, will play a vital role in the selection committee.