Former spinner Iqbal Qasim to lead PCB Cricket Committee

• Pramod Thomas
• 31 January, 2020

By: Pramod Thomas

Former spinner Iqbal Qasim, who represented Pakistan from 1976 to 1988, will chair the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Cricket Committee.

The PCB on Friday said that he will lead the panel which includes former cricketer Wasim Akram, chief selector and representative of women’s cricket Urooj Mumtaz, former cricketer Umar Gul and former Test opener Ali Naqvi.

PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan and Director International Cricket Zakir Khan will serve as “coopted members” of the committee. The committee will meet on a quarterly basis.

The main objective of the committee will be to advise PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani on cricketing matters and will hold the power to invite the relevant individuals to quarterly meetings to “assist as part of its evaluation, assessment and recommendation process”.

Iqbal Qasim played for Pakistan in 50 Tests and 15 ODIs. He became Pakistan’s chief selector in 2012.

Qasim said he was pleased that the PCB had considered him for the position and added that he would try to utilise all his cricket and corporate experience as well as knowledge to complete his responsibilities.

“I welcome all the distinguished members in this PCB Cricket Committee and look forward to working with them,” said PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan.

He added, “I am delighted we have been able to put together a wide-ranging, knowledgeable, experienced and respected group whose commitment and involvement in the game is second to none.”

Qasim ended his career with 171 wickets in his 50 Test matches, at approximately 3.5 wickets a match. He is most notable for spinning Pakistan to victory in the fifth Test at Bangalore of the 1987 India-Pakistan series and thus securing Pakistan’s first series win on Indian soil. He took 9/121, including that of Sunil Gavaskar for 96 in the last innings of the game.