Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday appointed former wicket keeper batsman Rashid Latif as Chief Selector. Rashid, currently serving in Port Qasim Authority, met with Chairman PCB Najam Sethi to discuss various plans in cricket and agreed to accept the offer to become the Chief Selector with effect from 1st April 2014. Rashid will join PCB on deputation from his parent department.
In addition to his responsibilities as Chief Selector, Rashid will also assist PCB in imparting training and conducting lectures on anti-corruption matters. Najam Sethi, Chairman PCB said "Rashid is an extremely valuable addition to our team. I have keenly followed his forthright views on cricket in the past and I trust he will be able to bring about positive change in our cricket".
Commenting on his meeting with PCB Chief, Rashid Latif said "I am excited on getting associated with PCB. I will endeavour to build a strong team keeping in view the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. I will also assist PCB in whatever way I can in anti-corruption matters." He said that this is an important responsibility and a challenge for him as his main task is to prepare and make a strong squad for the 2015 World Cup. Rashid Latif (45), who represented Pakistan in 37 Tests and 166 One-day Internationals as wicketkeeper-batsman from 1992 to 2003 will start working as chief selector from April 1 after the national team returns from Asia Cup and Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh.
It may be noted that Pakistan cricket has functioned without a chief selector since last September when the Islamabad High Court put aside a decision by the PCB to appoint former captain Moin Khan as chief selector. Rashid Latif will replace Azhar Khan, who was named head of the selection panel for an interim period when the PCB was taken over by an eight-man management committee after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif dissolved the board of governors of PCB on February 10.
This is the third time in less than a month that the chief selector has been changed. Earlier, the PCB, under Zaka Ashraf, had appointed Aamer Sohail as head of the selection panel, which was immediately denounced by the new management committee under Najam Sethi. The other members in selection committee are Azhar Khan, Saleem Jaffar and Farukh Zaman. Pakistan's next assignment will be a home series against Australia in the UAE in October. Meanwhile, former cricketer Mohammad Yousuf has welcomed the PCB decision to appoint Rashid Latif as chief selector and said that he has been an honest and reliable person who never compromise on merit and principles.