The impact from Pakistan’s early elimination from the Twenty20 World Cup 2024 is still being felt, as media reports state that star bowler Shaheen Afridi was noticed acting inappropriately with the coaches and management team.
According to reports, an investigation is in progress to determine why, in spite of Shaheen Afridi’s attitude, managers—who are in charge of upholding team discipline—did nothing to penalize the left-arm pacer.
The disclosure coincides with the board’s ongoing actions, the most recent of which was the removal of Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz from the selection committee due to the team’s subpar performance and early elimination from the T20 World Cup 2024.
The PCB said in a statement today that it had informed the two that their services were no longer needed.
The board has also dismissed team manager Mansoor Rana from his position, after the departure of senior manager Wahab.
According to the sources, Wahab and Razzaq gave unfair favors to some players, and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi only decided to fire the two after the inquiry into the subject was completed.
It turned out that the players Wahab and Razzaq had backed were the ones who underperformed and were really rebuffed by other members of the selection committee.
According to further reports, the coaches of the team have lodged complaints with the PCB chairman after recent tours’ disciplinary infractions and the players’ lack of seriousness.
The coaches have also brought up the subject of players’ families and how it affects their ability to concentrate on the game, lamenting that players talk negatively to one another.
Wahab, meantime, has denied rumors that he put pressure on the selection committee in response to the board’s confirmation of his dismissal.
The former pacer posted on his X account, saying, “I don’t agree with the statements being made about adding pressure to those who are part of the selection committee.”
In response to a query about how one vote could outweigh six given that the selection committee had seven members, he emphasized that all of the details were recorded in the meeting minutes.
Wahab went on to say that he will be making a statement this evening.
It is noteworthy that the captain and head coach are among the members of the selection panel that the board has decided to keep, along with Muhammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, and Bilal Afzal.
