Former minister talks about his role as selector, defends Azam Khan’s selection

Former provincial minister Bilal Afzal has been appointed as a member of the newly constituted seven-person selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Afzal previously held ministerial portfolios for Environment Protection, Forests, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Planning and Development under Punjab's caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is now serving as PCB chairman and interior minister.

Speaking during the announcement of the Pakistan squad in Lahore on Tuesday, Afzal elaborated on the reasons behind his inclusion in the selection committee.

"My degree is that of an engineer. Most of the data analysts in PCB have been engineers, for example Hassan Cheema. Besides that, I've worked in strategy and finance, which revolves around data. So my whole professional career has involved taking data-based decisions," Afzal said.

"Azam Khan has good stats on the pitches which are expected to be prepared in T20 World Cup 2024. We want to uplift his confidence by giving him ample opportunities before the mega event," he added.

Pakistan squad:

Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan Niazi, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan