The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a bold move, has reformed the men’s national selection committee, introducing a new lineup that includes esteemed figures such as Aleem Dar, Aqib Javed, and Azhar Ali. This change comes in the wake of former captain Mohammad Yousuf’s resignation and aims to improve decision-making processes within the team.
The previous committee, which featured Asad Shafiq and Hasan Cheema as selectors, will now see Shafiq continuing in his role, collaborating with the head coach to ensure consistency in operations.
The restructured committee faces the crucial task of selecting the squad for the upcoming Test matches against England and the white-ball series against Australia, with an official announcement expected next week.
This announcement follows a disappointing performance by the national team, which recently suffered a humiliating defeat against England in the first Test match at Multan.
After opting to bat first, Pakistan posted an impressive total of 556 runs. However, their bowling attack struggled significantly, allowing England to score a staggering 823 runs, marking only the fourth-highest total in Test cricket history. The English team excelled, featuring a record-breaking partnership of 454 runs between Joe Root and Harry Brook, the highest for England in Test matches.
This defeat signifies a new low for Pakistan cricket, as it is the first instance in Test history where a team has lost by an innings despite scoring over 500 runs in their first innings.
The loss extends Pakistan’s dismal streak, having now lost six consecutive matches under captain Shan Masood. Their recent struggles include a 0-3 series defeat against Australia and a historic 0-2 loss at home to Bangladesh. Currently, Pakistan trails 0-1 in the ongoing three-match series against England.