Veteran India batter Virender Sehwag didn’t hold back his criticisms of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024. With Pakistan’s failure to progress beyond the group stage, losing to the USA and India, scrutiny has intensified around team selection and management decisions.
Controversial Selections
The reappointment of Babar Azam as captain and the surprise return of Mohammad Amir to the squad have been significant talking points. Sehwag specifically targeted PCB chief selector Wahab Riaz for including Amir in the squad just months after the two had criticized the Pakistan team on a TV channel.
Hypocrisy and Bias
Sehwag drew a parallel with Indian cricket to highlight what he perceives as favoritism within the PCB. He suggested that a similar bias could occur if former Indian players who criticized the team were given power. “It’s like if Ajit Agarkar is chairman (of BCCI selection committee) today, he will say ‘come to Viru, come Zak (Zaheer Khan)’, I will facilitate your comeback,” Sehwag elaborated.
Call for Future-Focused Selection
Sehwag urged selectors to prioritize the future of the team rather than favoring former players. “You have become a selector, you have to look at the future. You have a job, make the right use of it, don’t do favors. That hard step selectors will have to take,” he stated.
Pakistan’s Transitional Phase
Following their T20 World Cup exit, Pakistan is set to enter a transitional phase. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi may be rested for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh. The PCB is also evaluating the fitness of four young fast bowlers— Ihsanullah, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Arshad Iqbal, and Zeeshan Zameer—who are potential future assets for the national team.
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