‘The selectors have…’: PCB chief defends controversial selections in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy squad

Naqvi defends Pakistan selectors ahead of Champions Trophy

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said that the selection committee “will review” the national squad picked for the Champions Trophy even as he defended the controversial selections of batter Khushdil Shah and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf. 

Every cricket board has time till February 12 to make any changes to their provisional squads picked for the ICC event which will be held in Pakistan and United Arab Emirates.

“The selectors have the right to review any squad they announce. Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf have been included in the squad with the right intentions,” Naqvi said.

The selectors have come under fire from many former players and analysts after they recalled Khushdil and Faheem for the Champions Trophy even though the duo had not played international cricket for a while.

Naqvi said that he didn’t interfere in the selectors’ work and whatever they felt was the best for the team they did.

“Yes they are now reviewing the squad because they have time until February 12 to make changes if they want,” he said.

This would not be the first time if the selectors decided to change the squad because even before the 2021 T20 World Cup the selectors had made several changes to the announced squad.