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Karachi: Former test captain, Moin Khan will be released from his duties as chief selector after the ICC cricket World Cup regardless of where the Pakistan team ends in the mega-event.
According to a well-placed reliable source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Moin has been told his services are no longer required as chief selector when he met with the PCB chairman recently after returning from World Cup.
“Moin will be released from his duties after the World Cup and Shaharyar Khan has already told his associates to start interviewing suitable available candidates for the new selection committee,” the source said.
“Before Shaharyar left for india last week he passed on the instructions to start process of shortlisting candidates for the position of chief selector and three or four members of the committee,” the source told PTI.
Former stalwarts like Wasim Bari and Mohsin Khan are said to be in the run to replace Moin as chief selector.
Moin was called back home from New Zealand by the PCB after it emerged that he had visited a Casino in Christchurch, a night before the match against West Indies which Pakistan lost by 150 runs.
Moin took the plea that he had gone to the Casino to not gamble but to have dinner with some of his friends.
The PCB also issued a statement after Shaharyar’s meeting with Moin that the board was satisfied with Moin’s explanation and the matter was closed.
But cricket pundits point out that if this was the case than why the sudden disappearance of Moin from the cricket scene even though Pakistan has started to do well in the World Cup soon after he returned to Pakistan.
Moin had been sent to New Zealand and Australia on the insistence of former PCB chairman and a senior member Najam Sethi and he was tasked to chair the tour selection committee meetings.
Interestingly, when Moin was with the team it lost two ODIs in New Zealand and then the opening two matches of the World Cup to india and West Indies.
But soon after his return home, Pakistan started a strong comeback in the tournament beating Zimbabwe, UAE and South Africa on a trot, raising questions on whether Moin was seeing eye to eye over selection matters with the captain and coach.
Moin since returning home to an angry reception has avoided speaking or appearing on the media and has largely remained out of sight.
“Going to a Casino to just have food was the explanation given by Moin and one accepted by the board. But then is it such a big crime that the board called home back home and since has also not bothered to send him back to join the team.
There is more to this issue than that meets the eye,” another source said.
