KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced its decision to sack former pacers Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq from the selection committee following the national team’s group stage exit from the T20 World Cup, disappointing fans across the world.
Pakistan crashed out of the tournament, co-hosted by the United States and West Indies, after losing two crucial matches: one against the amateur USA team and another in a narrow defeat to India despite being in a strong position to win.
In response to the debacle, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has been holding meetings with coaches and former Pakistani cricket players amid mounting pressure to improve the team’s performance and address the issues that led to their early exit.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed that it has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup,” the PCB said in a brief statement. “Abdul Razzaq was a member of the men’s and women’s selection committee, while Wahab was a member of the men’s selection committee.”
“The PCB will provide further updates on the selection committee’s composition in due course,” it continued.
The men’s national cricket team has faced a disappointing run since the Asia Cup last year, revealing significant gaps in their approach and consistency.
Internal divisions have been cited as a major issue, for which the PCB itself has faced criticism.
The PCB’s handling of leadership changes and team management decisions has also come under scrutiny, with many arguing that these factors contributed to the squad’s overall decline in performance.
Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq sacked from Pakistan cricket’s selection committee after World Cup debacle
https://arab.news/85wm8
Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq sacked from Pakistan cricket’s selection committee after World Cup debacle
- The men’s national cricket team disappointed fans across the world after group stage exit from T20 World Cup
- PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has been consulting coaches, former players to improve the team’s performance
Pakistan says 34 militants killed in counterterror operations in Balochistan, KP this week
- Pakistan military says 26 militants killed in separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this week
- Eight other militants were gunned down in southwestern Balochistan’s Zhob district, says military
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces killed 34 militants this week in the southwestern Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces bordering Afghanistan, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday amid a surge in militant attacks in the country.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said security forces carried out a series of “high tempo intelligence-driven operations” this week in the two provinces. It said 26 militants belonging to the Pakistani Taliban or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) outfit were killed while eight militants were killed in Balochistan in the operations.
In the first counterterror operation on Tuesday, Pakistani forces targeted a TTP militant who was trying to enter the country in North Waziristan through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the ISPR said. Three TTP militants were killed in a second counterterror operation in Lakki Marwat district, the military added.
In the third counterterror operation, 10 TTP militants were killed in Bannu district while 12 others were gunned down in North Waziristan in another separate operation, the ISPR said.
“During the fifth engagement, own troops conducted an intelligence-based operation in the general area of Sambaza, Zhob District,” the military’s media wing said in a statement.
“After an intense fire exchange, eight terrorists belonging to Fitna Al Hindustan were successfully neutralized.”
Pakistan’s military uses the terms “Fitna Al-Khwarij” for the TTP and “Fitna Al Hindustan” for separatist militants in Balochistan. Islamabad alleges these militant groups are supported by India, a charge New Delhi has always denied.
The ISPR said security forces retrieved weapons and ammunition from the militants in Balochistan’s Zhob district, adding that they were involved in “terrorist activities” in the area.
“The security forces of Pakistan remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers,” the ISPR said.
The counterterror operations take place amid surging tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Islamabad said it carried out strikes on alleged militant camps in Afghanistan on Saturday night, killing over 100 militants.
Afghanistan said the attacks violated its territorial sovereignty, accusing Islamabad of killing and wounding dozens of civilians.
Islamabad alleges militants based in Afghanistan are responsible for surging militant attacks inside Pakistani territory. Afghanistan rejects these allegations and urges Pakistan to focus on its security challenges instead of blaming Kabul.
