PCB Reportedly Offers Shoaib Akhtar Chief Selector Role

Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has reportedly been offered the position of chief selector by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) amid a restructuring of the national team setup. The discussions, which initially focused on the chief selector role, expanded as Akhtar expressed interest in assuming a more significant position within Pakistan cricket.

The move follows Pakistan's poor performance in the Test series in England, prompting changes in both the playing squad and team management. The PCB released seven players from the squad after the Lord's Test and brought in replacements, while Sarfaraz Ahmed, Umar Gul, Mike Hesson, and Ashley Noffke also underwent changes. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi instructed the selection committee to place more emphasis on younger players and improve transparency in the selection process after Pakistan's heavy defeat.

Misbah-ul-Haq stepped down from the selection committee, and Aaqib Javed, the PCB Director of High Performance, has been linked with a possible departure. Shoaib Akhtar has been critical of Pakistan cricket's leadership and decision-making recently, calling for major structural changes in the sport.