Wahab Riaz and his multiple roles raise concern

Wahab Riaz’s recent appointment as the interim chief selector for the Pakistan Cricket team’s tours to Australia and New Zealand has sparked concerns over potential conflicts of interest. The chief selector position became vacant after Inzamam ul Haq resigned due to a conflict of interest. However, Wahab Riaz’s multiple roles within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are raising eyebrows.

Despite retiring from international cricket, Wahab continues to actively participate in franchise cricket. As a part of Peshawar Zalmi for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024, he holds a prominent position in the diamond category, indicating his continued involvement on the field.

Additionally, he was recently appointed as the caretaker sports minister, adding another layer to his diverse roles within the cricketing and governmental spheres. Wahab also serves as a cricket analyst and is expected to participate as a player in the PSL 2024.

The central question arises from the potential conflict of interest – how can Wahab Riaz fairly select players for the national team when he is actively playing alongside some of them in franchise cricket? Furthermore, his influential position in the current caretaker government setup adds another layer of complexity, raising concerns about the impartiality of the selection process. This situation seems to contradict the PCB’s dual role policy, which aims to avoid such conflicts.

With Pakistan scheduled to play three Tests against Australia in December-January and three T20Is against New Zealand in January 2024, the need for a transparent and unbiased selection process becomes crucial for the team’s success on the international stage.

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