Asad Shafiq gets another major role in PCB: sources

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former Test cricketer and current member of the national selection committee, Asad Shafiq, as the director of the Hanif Mohammad high performance center in Karachi, sources revealed on Wednesday.

According to sources, Shafiq will now shoulder additional responsibilities while continuing to serve on the national selection committee.

Earlier, Shafiq served as a member of Pakistan’s selection committee and was later appointed to the women’s selection committee. 

The women’s selection committee includes former cricketers Asmavia Iqbal and Marina Iqbal, joined by Abdul Razzaq and Asad Shafiq (both members of the men’s national selection committee), along with former international player Batool Fatima.

This committee was formed by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on April 25, 2024. Previously, Saleem Jaffar served as the chief selector of the women’s team. 

However, due to the team’s poor performance, Naqvi, who was dissatisfied with the recent results, decided to make changes in the selection panel.

Reports indicate that former cricketer Azam Khan has been named head coach of the facility, forming a strong management team focused on player development. 

The PCB, however, has yet to officially announce the appointments.

For the unversed, Shafiq represented Pakistan in 77 Test matches, scoring 4,660 runs at an average of 38.19, including 12 centuries and 27 half-centuries. 

He also featured in 60 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 10 T20 Internationals for the national side.

The Karachi-born right-hander announced his retirement from professional cricket in December 2023 after leading Karachi Whites to the National T20 title.

Over the course of his career, Shafiq was a mainstay of Pakistan’s Test batting lineup from 2010 to 2020. He also enjoyed a prolific domestic career, amassing over 12,000 runs in 191 first-class matches and 5,784 runs in 162 List A matches.