Waqar Younis, selection committee under fire for Abrar and Kamran's omission

Former Pakistan fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed has taken a sharp jab at Waqar Younis, who was recently appointed as the advisor to the PCB chief, and the selection committee for their decision to drop Abrar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam from the squad for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.

In a surprising move, the selection committee excluded the leg spinner Abrar Ahmed and all-rounder Kamran Ghulam from their squad ahead of the first Test match, set to begin on August 21 in Rawalpindi. 

The two players will now feature in the Pakistan Shaheens squad for their second four-day match against Bangladesh ‘A,’ which begins on August 20 in Islamabad.

Tanvir expressed his shock and disappointment over the decision, particularly targeting Waqar Younis, who recently joined the PCB in a new role. 

Through his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the former pacer criticized Waqar and the selection committee, accusing them of undermining Pakistan cricket.

"Did you all see? Waqar Younis and the selection committee have removed Abrar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam from the Test matches against Bangladesh. The remaining state of Pakistan cricket will be ruined by Waqar Younis," Tanvir posted.

"Shame on this third-class selection committee that dropped Abrar and Kamran Ghulam from the team. Where is Waqar Younis, who parades around as a great legend? How have these two been dropped?" he further wrote.

With both of these players unavailable, Pakistan now has limited spin bowling options for the first Test. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Mir Hamza are expected to take the field. One of the remaining fast bowlers in the squad is likely to be selected. Agha Salman will assume the role of the frontline spinner.

The second Test, originally set to be held in Karachi from August 30 to September 3, has been relocated to Rawalpindi. This change is due to ongoing renovations at Karachi's National Bank Stadium, which is being upgraded for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Pakistan's Test squad:

Shan Masood (C), Saud Shakeel (VC), Aamir Jamal (subject to Fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (WK) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.