'Sack chief selector if PCB feels there is a need to change Pakistan T20 WC squad' - Rashid Latif

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been under the scanner of the fans and experts ever since they announced the Pakistan T20 World Cup squad that many think is not the best. There were some shocking omissions and surprising inclusions in the team. The selectors left out senior batsmen Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed along with destructive opener Fakhar Zaman while included Azam Khan, who has so far not justified in his selection in the Pakistan team in the limited opportunities he got. 

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There have been talks that Pakistan may name an updated squad for the T20 World Cup. The teams can make changes in their squad till October 10. Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif, however, feels that making changes to the squad after all the buzz will send the wrong message. 

“Changing two to three players at this moment will set a negative precedent. Whenever teams will be announced in the future, everyone will ask for changes because we will have set a wrong tradition,” said Latif to Express News.

He added if the Pakistan management feels that the squad needs to be modified, they should sack chief selector Mohammad Wasim in first place because it was his responsibility to select the best squad and he failed to do so. “If the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) feels that changes are necessary then the first person they should remove is the Chief Selector . Making changes to the squad means that the current selection committee has failed to do its job properly,” he added.

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Pakistan will open their T20 World Cup campaign against India in an iconic game on October 24 in Dubai. Along with India, Pakistan will also face New Zealand, Afghanistan, and two qualifier teams. 

Pakistan recently roped in former Australia opener Matthew Hayden and South Africa pacer Vernon Philander as batting and bowling coach respectively for the T20 World Cup after head Misbah ul Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis stepped down from their post. 

Here’s Pakistan’s squad for T20 World Cup: Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Azam Khan, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood.