Pakistan Appoints New Chief Selector After Misbah-ul-Haq’s Resignation

The former Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, on October 14 announced that he will resign as chief selector, but would continue to serve as the head coach of the men’s cricket team.

Facing reservations from many top players and experts, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named him as the head coach and chief selector in September last year.

“It is my choice to quit the post of the chief selector as it would be difficult for me to focus on coaching due to the cricket team’s upcoming international commitments,” Misbah said.

Now, PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani announced on Saturday (December 19) that former Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Wasim has been named as chairman of the national men’s selection committee, taking over from Misbah until the 2023 World Cup.

Wasim will begin his first assignment, which will be to pick the squad around mid-January against South Africa for two Tests and three T20Is.

“This is a performance-oriented world and, as such, my philosophy will be to promote meritocracy and select squads according to home and international conditions and requirements. As a chief selector, I will always be willing to make the hard calls, if these are in the best interest of Pakistan cricket. I look forward to working closely with head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and captain Babar Azam as we collectively strive to take Pakistan cricket forward,” Wasim said in a press release.

Born and raised in Rawalpindi, Mohammad Wasim played 18 Tests and 25 ODIs between 1996 and 2000 for Pakistan. In test matches, he scored 783 runs, including a century on his debut against New Zealand. Until returning home to join the Northern Cricket Association as head coach in 2019, he was also the coach of the Swedish men’s team in 2018.

Meanwhile, the ex-wicketkeeper, Saleem Yousuf, was appointed head of the PCB Cricket Committee, a position held by Misbah until recently.