Chairman of the PCB Management Committee Najam Sethi has revealed that the interim selection committee led by Shahid Afridi initially intended to replace Babar Azam as captain of the Pakistan cricket team. Shahid Afridi was appointed as the interim Chair of the Men’s National Selection Committee, with Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum as members and Haroon Rashid as the Convener for the home series against New Zealand.
22-year-old Babar Azam up against Lockie Ferguson. Poetry in motions pic.twitter.com/5QptmMSuNg
— KH SAKIB __ (@Crickettalkss) April 10, 2023
Sethi revealed in an interview with a YouTube channel that the selectors eventually decided to retain Babar as the captain. “I say it again and again. I don’t take decisions like these [changing captain] myself. I take advice from people whom I trust. We made an interim selection committee when we took charge. Before the selectors came on board, they told us that there will need to be some changes and Babar needs to be replaced as captain as well. However, as soon as they were appointed, they said there is no need to replace Babar. I told them that you are entitled to change your mind,” Sethi said.
After the New Zealand series, Afridi resigned from the post citing a lack of time for meetings. Subsequently, Haroon Rashid was appointed as the Chair of the Men’s National Selection Committee by the PCB, replacing Afridi.
