Shoaib Akhtar, fondly known as the Rawalpindi Express, rubbished the reports of him taking up the role of chief selector for the Pakistan men’s team, saying he’s not at all interested in being involved in any capacity with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Ever since the Babar Azam-led side went down 0-3 in the three-match Test series against England, there have been reports of a major churn in the coaching and selection committee setup, with the former pacer primed to take up the major role.
During a live TV programme on a Pakistani channel, the anchor reminded Akhtar that the pacer had once said that his mother had told him to stay away from the PCB and Pakistani politics.
When Akhtar was asked point-blank on PTV Sports about the ongoing reports, the former Pakistan star said, “There is no such thing, and all that is being said is speculative. I stand by my statement, and I am going to stick to that advice.”
“There is no truth to these claims. I am not at all interested in going to the PCB. I stand by my statement. I am hearing all this news about taking on the role of chief selector. This is all fake, and there is no truth to such claims. I just want the betterment of Pakistan cricket,” he added.
Akhtar also pointed out that he hasn’t had any discussion with the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB, as he’s currently in Houston on a private visit. It is worth mentioning that over the last few years, the PCB has not shied away from making changes, and several captains, coaches, and selectors have been replaced.
Many other ways
Akhtar, who represented Pakistan in 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 15 T20Is, added that there are many other ways to serve Pakistan cricket and there’s no need for him to formally enter the PCB to do that.
“I would love to serve Pakistan cricket, but I think I can do it in many other ways,” Akhtar said.
Earlier, the reports in Pakistani media claimed that Akhtar had met PCB chairman Naqvi for detailed discussions regarding the national team and how the fortunes could be changed. The media reports also stated that the relations between Naqvi and Akhtar improved with the latter reaching out to the former Pakistan pacer following the death of his elder brother.
The reports also claimed that relations between Akhtar and Naqvi had improved in recent months, with the latter reaching out to Akhtar following the death of the former pacer’s elder brother.