Ramiz Raja hits out at PCB for Salman Butt appointment, says 'insane to have....'

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday that former cricketer Salman has been appointed as a consultant member to the newly-appointed chief selector, Wahab Riaz. Joining him in this role are Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum. This trio will assume their responsibilities immediately, with their first task being the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled to commence in the second week of January following the conclusion of the team's Test tour of Australia. 

However, the appointment of Salman and Akmal has raised eyebrows, with former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja expressing his bewilderment and criticizing the board's decision as absurd.

In an interview with Cricbuzz, Ramiz criticized the selection of [name] for a particular role, bringing up the infamous match-fixing scandal. This scandal, which involved [name], Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Asif, greatly tarnished the reputation of Pakistan cricket. Additionally, both Wahab and Akmal were also questioned about their involvement in the incident. Akmal, in particular, received a notice from the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACSU) after the Nottingham Test against England in 2010. The notice sought information regarding the T20 World Cup that took place that year in the Caribbean.

"It's insane to have a selection committee consisting of a member whose decision can be termed as a display of filial affection or non-affection and another who was locked up for match fixing," Ramiz said.

PCB, however, later clarified after the announcement that the trio would not be involved in any selection duties.

"Consultant members assist the chief selector by providing recommendations, collecting feedback and identifying top-performing talent in domestic cricket," it said. 

"Their role is to present this information to the chief selector and the selection committee for consideration in their decision-making process. The Consultant Members do not have any independent decision-making powers."

After a disappointing World Cup campaign in India, where they finished fifth and missed out on a semifinal spot for the third consecutive time, Pakistan decided to make significant changes in their administration. As part of this overhaul, they have appointed former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez as the team director, who will also serve as the head coach for the upcoming Australia and New Zealand series.

READ| IND vs AUS 5th T20I T20I: Predicted playing XIs, live streaming, pitch report and weather forecast of Bengaluru