Inzamam-ul-Haq frontrunner for Pakistan’s chief selector role

Inzamam-ul-Haq seems to be the front-runner for the role of chief selector, a reliable source at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed, according to PTI reports. Haq, 46, who is currently the head coach of Afghanistan, and contracted until December, expressed his willingness to take up the role, but needed more time to arrive at a final decision. Haq is Pakistan’s most capped player with 120 Tests and 398 One-Day Internationals.

A PCB official said that Shaharyar Khan, the board’s chairman, held a detailed discussion with Inzamam, during which he agreed to give him considerable power as chief selector and also negotiated a pay package.

“Shaharyar has offered Inzamam the chief selector’s position and also agreed to some points raised by the former captain who is now head coach of the Afghanistan team. He has also asked for time so that he can speak to the Afghanistan cricket officials and reach an amicable agreement with them as he does not want to leave them in acrimonious circumstances,” the official said.

Meanwhile, there were reports emerging that the PCB has finalised Inzamam as chief selector, but a source in the board rubbished them.

“Look nothing is final as yet that is for sure. Shaharyar is presently in the process of talking to likely candidates and Inzamam and Rashid are among them. But it is wrong to say Inzamam has been finalised as chief selector. Obviously the board will have to match that amount (USD 12,000) if it ropes him in. But so far nothing is final and the only thing confirmed is that Inzamam has shown interest in the job,” the source said.