Shoaib Akhtar has ruled out joining the PCB, saying his mother advised him to stay away from Pakistan cricket politics amid chief selector speculation.
IMAGE: Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar dismisses reports of joining Pakistan Cricket Board in any capacity. Photograph: Shoaib Akhtar/Instagram
Key Points
- Shoaib Akhtar has denied reports of him joining the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as chief selector or in any other key role.
- He stated that his mother advised him to stay away from Pakistan politics and the PCB, and he intends to follow that advice.
- Akhtar, currently on a private visit to Houston, expressed his desire to serve Pakistan cricket but believes he can do so in other ways.
- He did not confirm or deny meeting PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi but insisted no offer for the chief selector position was made.
- Speculation about his PCB involvement arose after he recently toned down his criticism of Pakistan cricket.
Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar says he has no plans to join the PCB in any capacity in near future as his mother has advised him to stay away from cricket politics. Referring to reports on the mainstream and social media about him becoming the chief selector or being appointed to some other key post, Shoaib made it clear he is not joining the board.
Akhtar’s Stance on PCB Role
“There is no such thing and all that is being said is speculative. Look, my mother told me to stay away from Pakistan politics and the PCB and I am going to stick to that advice,” he said on PTV sports channel.
The former fast bowler said he was presently in Houston on a private visit and while he wished the best for Pakistan cricket he would not accept any position in the Pakistan Cricket Board. He, however, didn’t reveal whether he had met with the PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi recently or not but insisted no offer to become chief selector has been made to him.
Future Contributions to Pakistan Cricket
“I would love to serve Pakistan cricket but I think I can do it in many other ways.” Shoaib, who has been very candid and harsh in his criticism of the state of Pakistan cricket and the working of some people in the PCB, has toned down his criticism quite a bit of late, leading to speculations about his soon joining the PCB.