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| The former captain will be picking the team for the upcoming NZ series |
Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan captain, has been named interim chairman of the men's national selection committee, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Saturday (December 24). Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum are the other members of the panel while Haroon Rashid, who is a member of the Management Committee, will serve as the convener.
The three-man selection committee headed by Afridi, which takes over from the Mohammad Wasim-led panel, has only been appointed for Pakistan's upcoming home series against New Zealand. Pakistan plays two Tests (part of the World Test Championship) and three ODIs (part of the World Cup Super League) against New Zealand, with the series beginning on December 26 and ending on January 14.
Speaking about the appointment of the interim selection panel, PCB management committee chair Najam Sethi said: "I welcome the interim Men's National Selection Committee and have no doubts that despite limited time, they will make brave and bold decisions that will help us produce a strong and competitive side in the series against New Zealand.
"Shahid Afridi has been an attacking cricketer who played all his cricket with no fear. He has nearly 20 years of cricket experience, has featured in all formats with significant success, and more importantly, has always backed and supported young talent. So, in our collective opinion, there is no better person than him to understand the rigors, demands, and challenges of the modern-day game.
"I remain confident that through his insight and knowledge of the game, he will help Pakistan select the best and most deserving players, and contribute in the side's success in the upcoming series," Sethi said.
Afridi added: "I feel honored to have been assigned this responsibility by the PCB Management Committee and will have no stone unturned in fulfilling this responsibility to the best of my abilities. We need to get back to our winning ways and I have no doubts that through meritocratic and strategic selection decisions, we will help the national side to perform strongly in the series against New Zealand and reclaim the confidence of our fans.
"I will soon convene a meeting of the selectors and will share my plans with reference to the upcoming matches."