Pakistan sack chief cricket selector Wasim Bari

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Bari has been sacked as chairman of selectors less than a fortnight after the country completed their tour of England, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said on Monday.

"The chairman of the PCB (Tauqir Zia) has dissolved the selection committee. An honorary chief selector and two paid selectors will be appointed soon," PCB director Munawwar Rana told Reuters from Lahore.

The 54-year-old Bari, who represented Pakistan in 81 tests, was appointed coach 16 months ago but he came under mounting criticism after Pakistan lost their home series to England 1-0 last December.

England won their first test series in Pakistan since 1961-62. Bari, however, was retained as chairman of the selection panel but his two fellow selectors Iqbal Qasim and Ehtishamuddin were both released .

Former wicket-keeper Bari was finally sacked just 10 days after Pakistan ended their mid-year tour of England.

Pakistan drew the test series 1-1 with England after fighting back from their defeat at Lord's to clinch the Old Trafford match.

They then finished as losing finalists to Australia in a triangular one-day series also involving England.

NOTHING NEW

"The new panel (of selectors) will now be more accountable. We are doing nothing new but just following what other countries have done with success," Rana said.

Bari said he was disappointed, adding he thought he had done his job professionally.

"Selection is a thankless job. You can't always please everyone," he said.

"But I have tried to justify my work, irrespective of what the critics have to say, though I admit that I might have been wrong at times."

Zia, Munawwar said, had called for the establishment of a three-man review committee to combat match-fixing and betting in Pakistan cricket.

"The Review Committee will be headed by a high court judge, whose name will be released later. But PCB chief investigator Israr Ahmad and Asif Shah will serve as members," Rana said.

Pakistan, in May, appointed Lahore High Court judge Karamat Bhandani to investigate allegations that Pakistan threw two matches in the 1999 World Cup against India and Bangladesh.

Mail Cricket Editor