Pakistan cricket team's chief selector, Inzamam-ul-Haq, resigned on Monday (30 October) after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) launched an investigation into whether his association with a company that manages a number of national team players – including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi – constituted a conflict of interest.
According to reports, the allegations pertain to Inzamam's controlling stake in 'Yazoo International Limited', a company linked to player agent Talha Rehmani.
“Inzamam-Ul-Haq has resigned as the chairman of the national men's selection committee and junior selection committee. He was appointed as the chairman of the national men's committee on 7 August 2023 and was also appointed chairman of the junior men's selection committee earlier this month,” PCB said in a statement.
Inzamam issued a counter statement after this, where he stated "I am stepping down from the post to offer the PCB the opportunity to conduct a transparent inquiry about the conflict of interest allegations raised in the media. If the committee finds me not guilty, I will resume my role as the chief selector."
Meanwhile, PCB have set up a five-member fact-finding committee to “investigate allegations in respect of conflict of interest reported in the media pertaining to the team selection process.
“The committee will submit its report and any recommendations to the PCB Management in an expeditious manner,” they confirmed.
Inzamam was named chief selector in August, ahead of the Asia Cup and World Cup. His first tenure as chief selector ended in discord following the 2019 World Cup, in which Pakistan also failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
The veteran represented Pakistan in 120 Tests, 386 ODIs, and a single T20I from 1991 to 2007, and was a member of the team that won the 1992 World Cup.
Babar & Inzamam Were Given Complete Freedom: PCB
Earlier, following Pakistan's defeat to Afghanistan, the PCB issued a statement in which they suggested that skipper Babar and the chief selector were given freedom in drafting the squad for the World Cup 2023.
“Addressing the media scrutiny directed at captain Babar Azam and the team management, the board’s stance, echoing that of former cricketers, is that successes and defeats are part of the game. Captain Babar Azam and Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq were given freedom and support in forming the squad for the ICC World Cup 2023,” the PCB stated.
“Looking ahead, the board will make decisions in the best interest of Pakistan cricket based on the team’s performances in the World Cup. At present, the PCB encourages fans, former players and stakeholders to rally behind the team as they strive to make a triumphant comeback in the mega-event,” the board said in a statement.
In terms of Pakistan's performance in the World Cup, the men in green have lost their last four matches, and their chances of qualifying for the semifinals are now very slim, as they must rely on the results of other teams in addition to winning all of their remaining matches.
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