Former Pakistan Captain Mohammad Hafeez Front-Runner To Become Team’s Chief Selector: Report

The new national selection committee, which also comprises team director Mickey Arthur and head coach Grant Bradburn, is chaired by Haroon Rasheed, a former member of the CMC led by Najam Sethi.

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez poses for pictures after announcing his retirement from international cricket in a press conference.

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Since the team's last tour of Sri Lanka is over, former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez is likely to be appointed as Pakistan's chief selector. As per the sources, Zaka Ashraf, the current chairman of the Cricket Management Committee (CMC) of the Pakistan Cricket Board, favours Hafeez for the position of chief selector, which has been vacant since the previous CMC dissolved in June.

"Zaka met with former captain, Rashid Latif and Hafeez and spoke to them about becoming chief selector. Rashid was not keen on the job but Hafeez (has) expressed his availability for the job,” the source told PTI.

The sources further added “Rashid was more interested in working on anti-corruption issues. Hafeez who played 55 Tests, 218 ODIs, and 119 T20Is for Pakistan before retiring last year, made it clear that he would like the challenge of working as the chief selector.”

The new national selection committee, which also comprises team director Mickey Arthur and head coach Grant Bradburn, is chaired by Haroon Rasheed, a former member of the CMC led by Najam Sethi.

“But with the previous CMC dissolved, technically Haroon Rasheed is no longer chairperson of the selection committee,” the source said.

Ashraf had not yet determined whether to replace Rasheed as head selector or the whole selection committee that Sethi and Mickey Arthur had constituted.

“It is unlikely the entire selection committee will be changed because of the heavy schedule of the Pakistan team after the Sri Lanka tour as Afghanistan have also confirmed a ODI series in Sri Lanka in August before the Asia Cup,” he said.

For the Asia Cup and the World Cup in India, Ashraf has also made other decisions about the Pakistani squad. He is considering hiring a new team manager and media manager.

“Naveed Akram Cheema, who has remained manager in the past, is a strong candidate to become team manager soon in place of Rehan ul Haq,” the insider said.