Trouble In Pakistan? PCB Chief Contradicts Captain Mohammad Rizwan Over Contentious Champions Trophy Selections

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that the selection committee “will review” the national squad picked for the Champions Trophy even as he defended the controversial selections of batter Khushdil Shah and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf. The PCB top boss statement was in complete contradiction to skipper Mohammed Rizwan’s assertion that no change is warranted in the 15-member squad. Every cricket board has time till February 12 to make any changes to their provisional squads picked for the ICC event which will be held in Pakistan and United Arab Emirates. “The selectors have the right to review any squad they announce. Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf have been included in the squad with the right intentions,” he replied to a question.

The selectors have come under fire from many former players and analysts after they recalled Khushdil and Faheem for the Champions Trophy even though the duo had not played international cricket for a while.

While Faheem, who has a batting average of 10 and bowling average of 47, played last of his 34 ODIs in September, 2023, Khushdil, who has failed to score even a single half-century in his 10 ODI appearances, has not played for the national team since August, 2022.

Naqvi said that he didn’t interfere in the selectors’ work and whatever they felt was the best for the team they did.

“Yes they are now reviewing the squad because they have time until February 12 to make changes if they want,” he said.

This would not be the first time if the selectors decided to change the squad because even before the 2021 T20 World Cup the selectors had made several changes to the announced squad.