Senior selector and former pace bowler Aaqib Javed is in line to get another top position in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after he formally parted ways with PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars.
According to board insiders, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is keen on giving Aaqib more responsibility in cricket matters.
“Aaqib, if he is willing to accept the job, could be tasked with looking after all cricketing matters in the board including coordinating and supervising the team management, women’s team matters, junior cricket and domestic cricket,” an insider said.
He said that Aaqib had only accepted the offer to become a national selector after he was assured by Naqvi that he would have the final say in all selection matters, thus overriding the captain and head coach.
“As a result, the authority of the captain and head coach in selection matters have been clipped,” the insider said.
He said that Aaqib, who has remained with Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League as their director cricket and head coach for eight years, had now taken charge of things and was even coordinating with the curators in preparing the pitches for the Test series against England.
Aaqib, who recently ended a short-term contract as bowling coach with the Sri Lankan team, has submitted a document with the PCB chairman in which he has emphasised on the need to go back to some of the tried and tested formulas, which brought Pakistan cricket success.
“During the first meeting which the newly-inducted selectors had with Naqvi, Aaqib was vocal and made it clear that the environment in the Pakistan team dressing room had to be improved and some senior players needed to be given a break for sometime,” the insider said.
“This eventually led to the side-lining of Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sarfaraz Ahmed from the Test squad for the two Tests against England.”
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