PCB confirms appointment of consultant members to chief selector

Lahore, Dec 1 (IANS) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed the appointment of former Pakistan cricketers Kamran Akmal, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Salman Butt as consultant members to chief selector Wahab Riaz.

In a statement released on Friday, PCB stated, “The three (Kamran Akmal, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Salman Butt) have assumed their responsibilities in the selection panel with immediate effect. Their first assignment as consultant members to the chief selector includes the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, set to commence on 12 January 2024 following the conclusion of the Test tour to Australia.”

“When not engaged in selection duties, the consultant members may be assigned additional tasks such as conducting skills camps,” it further added.

Kamran Akmal, in a 15-year career from 2002 to 2017, played 53 Tests, 157 ODIs and 58 T20Is. The former wicketkeeper-batter amassed 6,871 runs across formats and bagged 453 dismissals behind the stumps. He was a member of the Pakistan team that won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 at Lord’s.

Rao Iftikhar played a Test, 62 ODIs and two T20Is from 2004 to 2010 and took a total of 78 international wickets. He was also part of the side that lifted the T20 World Cup in 2009.

Former Test captain Salman Butt represented Pakistan in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is. He made 5,209 runs spanning the three formats with 11 international centuries. He was in the T20 World Cup winning squad in 2009.

Earlier, former Pakistan fast-bowler Wahab Riaz was appointed as the new chief selector of the national men’s selection committee after Inzamam ul Haq resigned from the position of chief selector in allegations of conflict of interest in Pakistan's team selection process for the World Cup.