The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is now aiming to clip Aaqib Javed’s wings. The former Pakistan player, who is practically overseeing all cricketing matters at the board, is now likely to be removed from the national selection committee, according to a PCB source. However, he will be allowed to stay as the “Director Development at the Lahore High Performance Centre.”
Pakistan cricket has been in chaos over the last couple of weeks. It all started with a humiliating first-Test defeat against England at Headingley. Babar Azam didn’t play in that game, and Salman Agha was the stand-in captain. Azam came back for the second game but Agha was not even retained in the playing XI. However, the team’s fortunes didn’t change, and they failed in the second Test at Lord’s too, conceding the series with one match still to go. Imam-ul-Haq didn’t bat in either of the innings on account of a calf injury.
Later, he was accused of making it look worse than it was. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan continued to play frivolous shots and score little. Once the Lord’s Test got over, head coach for the longest format, Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were sacked, and seven players were asked to head back home, including Imam, Rizwan and Salman. Then one of the selectors, Misbah-ul-Haq, resigned in protest.
Deep Dive
Why is Aaqib Javed likely to be removed from the national selection committee?
What led to the sacking of players like Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq from the Pakistan Test squad?
How will the Pakistan Cricket Board address the void left by the sacked players?
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{{/usCountry}}Aaqib is considered quite close to PCB chairman and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, and so far, he has survived all kinds of upheavals in Pakistan cricket over the last couple of years. But now it emerges that even he is going to lose some of his powers.
"Aaqib, who is considered the blue-eyed boy of the chairman, is also likely to be told to just focus on his role as Director Development at the Lahore High Performance Centre," the well-informed source told PTI.
He also gave more dope on the Imam-Rizwan situation. As per him, there was more to the story than just their poor form. There were disciplinary issues too. "The rest of the players sent back were done so on the recommendation of interim red-ball head coach Mike Hesson, who wanted to try out some players he had worked with in the white-ball camp," the source said.
In another revelation, the source claimed that white-ball coach Hesson will be offered the Test role as well. "If he doesn't agree, then the board will appoint someone else before the next home series against Sri Lanka in November," he said.
Besides, Salman, Rizwan and Imam will be asked to appear before a committee to explain their conduct in connection with certain incidents in England and the West Indies. Prior to the England tour, Pakistan played a two-Test series in the Caribbean and drew 1-1. Finally, the source added that the board will try to pacify Gul and Sarfaraz with other roles and that there could be a new selection committee in the coming days.