The board has come under fire from former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja for the “insane” appointment of Salman Butt as a consultant to head selector Wahab Riaz. Among the three individuals designated by the PCB to support the chief selector are Butt, Kamran Akmal, and Rao Iftikhar Anjum.
“With immediate effect, the three have taken on their roles in the selection panel. The impending five-match Twenty20 International series against New Zealand, which is scheduled to begin on January 12, 2024, after the conclusion of the Test trip to Australia, is their first assignment as consultant members to the chief selector. The trio’s appointment was announced on December 1 by a PCB announcement.
The 61-year-old Ramiz, who represented Pakistan in 57 Test matches and 198 One-Day Internationals, did not hold back in criticizing the PCB for hiring Butt, who was connected to the 2010 spot-fixing incident. The previous PCB leader also criticized the choice of Akmal.
“It’s insane to have a selection committee consisting of a member whose decision can be termed a display of filial affection or non-affection and another who was locked up for match-fixing,” Ramiz stated to Cricbuzz.
Ramiz Raja has previously shown his clear disgust with PCB for hiring a problematic person in a pivotal role.
Ramiz Raja said in 2020 that “these tainted cricketers should open their grocery shops” in response to Mohammad Amir, who was one of the conspirators in the 2010 fixing case, being named to the national squad.
If you ask me, I think these corrupt cricket players ought to start their own food stores. Giving in to big names hurts Pakistani cricket, I’m sure of it,” Ramiz had stated.
The famed fixing row that destroyed Salman Butt, Amir, and Mohammad Asif’s international careers was theirs. Following the incident, the ICC imposed a 10-year suspension on Butt, who had participated in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs, and 24 T20Is. He also served time in prison in the UK. He never returned to play for Pakistan. During the 2010 fixing controversy, Akmal—who played for Pakistan in 53 Tests, 157 ODIs, and 58 T20Is—was also questioned, although he was not brought to justice.
It has been confirmed by the PCB that the three consultants would not be part of the selection process; instead, they will just “assist the chief selector by providing recommendations, collecting feedback and identifying top-performing talent in domestic cricket.”
“It is their responsibility to provide this information to the selection committee and chief selector so that they can take it into account when making decisions. According to a PCB statement, “The Consultant Members do not have any independent decision-making powers.”
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