Kamran, Sami and Yasir named PCB selection committee members

LAHORE: Days after being made chairman of the junior team selection committee, former Pakistan Test wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal got another role when he was named as one of three members of the Pakistan men’s national selection committee.

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Wednesday that Kamran and his former Pakistan team-mates Mohammad Sami and Yasir Hameed will be part of the selection committee headed by Haroon Rasheed.

The PCB also named the other members of the junior team selection committee. Former Test off spinner Tauseef Ahmed’s name was prominent alongside former Pakistan bowlers Arshad Khan and Shahid Nazir and the little-known Shoaib Khan.

The 41-year-old Kamran has the played the most number of Tests (53) among those named to finalise the national senior and junior teams. Former pacer Sami played 36 Tests while Yasir featured in 25 Tests and it is the first time that the trio will be seen in a role as selectors.

Tauseef, who played 34 Tests for Pakistan, was formerly a member of the national selection committee but will be looking at the country’s junior talent this time around.

Pacer Shahid made 15 Test appearances for Pakistan with Arshad making nine while Shoaib never featured in a Test.

The former batter played only four Twenty20 International matches for Pakistan — all of them coming during a four-nation tournament played in Canada in 2008.

His selection at that time, though, was a questionable one as he was included in the place of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and prompted the resignation of then-chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed ‘Sallu’, who claimed the PCB had interfered in selection matters.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023