PCB disbands selection committee after World T20 debacle

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today disbanded its national selection committee in the wake of the national team’s debacle in the Asia Cup and the just-concluded World T20 cricket tournament. The PCB announced it was disbanding the selection committee headed by Haroon Rasheed with immediate effect on the recommendations of the fact-finding committee formed by the Board to probe into the team’s poor performances.

“A new selection committee will be announced in due course of time,” the PCB said in a statement. “Shahid Afridi was appointed T20 captain up till the World T20 and with the event now concluded and as per the recommendations of the fact-finding committee, the PCB will shortly announce a new T20 captain in place of Afridi,” it stated.Pakistan failed to reach the final of the Asia Cup while they made an early exit at the Super 10 stage in the just-concluded World T20 held in India.

The PCB said that with head coach Waqar Younis also stepping down, the Board will initiate the process of inducting a new coach for the national team.

“For this purpose a panel is being formed comprising of Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja to assist in finding a replacement for Waqar at the earliest,” the PCB statement said.

The statement said that the fact-finding committee had highlighted fitness of players as a major issue in the poor performance of Pakistan team. “The PCB will henceforth make fitness standards achievements conditional in the players contracts and with fines to be imposed on players not achieving the desired standards,” it said.

The PCB also said that the probe committee had recommended that prior to the national team’s tour to England, a boot camp would be held at Abbotabad with the coordination of Pakistan Army.

“In order to curve the negativity in media regarding PCB and to streamline the media protocols, a PCB spokesman will be shortly appointed to brief the media on regular basis on all issues,” the statement said.

The PCB stated that the mental toughness of the players and their dietary needs will be given special emphasis and for this purpose it will shortly make appointments of psychologist and dieticians on need basis for the Pakistan team.

The Board will also carry out a re-evaluation of the National Cricket Academy and Game Development in consultation with the relevant stakeholders.