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
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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 seeks UK action over ‘incitement to violence’ against top military commander
- Move follows a video that purportedly showed a PTI supporter in Bradford referencing violence against the army chief
- Pakistan’s deputy interior minister says the government has written to the UK, saying the content breaches British law
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Friday the government has written a letter to the United Kingdom to express concern over social media content circulating from British territory, which he said amounts to incitement to violence against the Pakistani state.
Speaking to a local news channel, Chaudhry said the government raised the issue after a video clip on social media purportedly showed a protester of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party criticizing Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and referring to violence against him.
“This is not a political matter, nor is it a question of freedom of expression,” the minister said while speaking to Geo TV. “This is clearly a violation of international law and of Britain’s own laws, including the British Terrorism Act 2006.”
He said the material went beyond political dissent and amounted to incitement to violence, adding that Pakistan had conveyed to British authorities that states are responsible for ensuring that individuals residing on their territory — whether citizens, asylum seekers or others — do not incite rebellion or violence against another sovereign country.
“What is very dangerous is that a very specific act — a car bombing — has been referenced,” he continued. “It has not been generalized.”
A social media post by a Britain-based journalist claimed that the video was recorded during a protest outside Pakistan’s consulate in Bradford, though neither the authenticity of the footage nor the identity of the individual could be independently verified.
Chaudhry said Pakistan’s complaint to the UK was lodged under international law, British law and United Nations principles governing relations between states, stressing that the issue was one of incitement rather than protected speech.
“This is not about freedom of expression. This is about incitement and terrorism, which is against Britain’s own laws,” he said, adding that Islamabad expects British authorities to take action.
Pakistani officials have also previously voiced concerns over social media activity by PTI supporters abroad that they say fuels unrest and hostility toward state institutions.
British authorities have not publicly responded to the letter or Chaudhry’s statement.
PTI has not reacted to either of them as well.
