Image courtesy of: The Express Tribune
Khan’s top priority is helping Pakistan win the 2015 World Cup
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have announced that they have appointed former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper Moin Khan as their new chief selector, following the resignation of Iqbal Qasim.
Qasim quit after Pakistan’s failure during the Champions Trophy, which saw them lose every single match they played.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be offered the position of chairman of national selection committee – a position held by many greats in the past and most recently by legendary Iqbal Qasim,” Khan said. “I have accepted this as a challenge and I am glad that PCB and my own vision correspond in terms of preparing a pool of talented cricketers who can mount an effective challenge in the 2015 World Cup.”
Khan was appointed by interim PCB chairman Najam Sethi and it has been reported that a majority of other PCB officials respect and support Sethi’s decision.
“In the PCB board of governors meeting held on 10th July, 2013, the governing board had authorised the acting chairman to take any decisions required to safeguard the interests and functioning of the PCB in all matters,” a PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo. “This was to ensure that the affairs of the PCB continue without hindrance in terms of selection of teams, appointment of the selection committee, tour schedules, etc.”
With Qasim out of the picture, the PCB decided to demolish the selection committee, but they still kept hold of all the members, which include Azhar Khan, Saleem Jaffer, and two co-opted members, Asif Baloch and Farrukh Zaman, all of whom will now be working closely with Khan.
“The other members of the selection committee that was headed by Mr Iqbal Qasim will continue to work under Moin till further orders,” the PCB said in a brief statement.
Khan represented Pakistan in 69 Test matches, 13 of which he was captain, and scored 2,741 runs.
His 147 wicketkeeping dismissals in Test matches puts him third on the Pakistan all-time list behind Wasim Bari and Kamran Akmal.
The 41-year-old also played 219 ODIs and is by far the most successful Pakistani keeper in the format with 287 dismissals.