Wahab Riaz breaks silence on removal from PCB selection committee

Former star cricketer Wahab Riaz reacted to the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to sack him from the team's selection board, saying he gave his "100% for the betterment of Pakistan cricket".

Earlier, the PCB, in its statement issued today, confirmed that the services of Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz are no longer required in the national selection committee after the team's dismal performance in the T20 World Cup 2024.

"My time serving as a member of selection committee for PCB comes to an end, I just want my people to know that I have served the game I love with faith and sincerity and have given 100 percent for the betterment of Pakistan cricket," the former cricketer said, while giving his statement on X, formerly Twitter, after the PCB decision to remove him from his responsibilities in the team's section board.

"It has been an honour to serve as part of the selection panel. To make collaborative decisions as part of the seven man panel to select the national team was a privilege — everyone's vote carried equal weight, we made selection decisions as a team & shared the responsibility of that process equally. It was an honour to contribute my part to that."

"I am thankful to the people who have prayed for me. I wish nothing but success for the future of the Pakistan cricket team," he concluded his statement.

The board has retained Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq and Bilal Afzal in the selection panel which also includes the captain and head coach.

Earlier, Wahab dismissed the reports suggesting that he had pressurised the selection committee. "I don’t agree with the statements being discussed about adding pressure to the members of the selection committee," the former pacer said in a post on his X account.

Questioning how can one vote dominate six, as the selection committee comprised seven members, he stressed that everything was documented on record in the minutes of the meeting.

Soon after being removed as selector, Riaz was also sacked as the senior team manager of the men’s side.

The PCB removed Wahab and Manager Mansoor Rana from their posts due to lack of discipline during the last three tours of the national men’s team.

Pakistan recently toured Ireland and England for T20I series before heading to the United States and West Indies for T20 World Cup 2024 where they crashed out of group stage.