Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf on Sunday resigned from his post of national selector citing personal reasons. Yousuf was part of the broad-based selection panel featuring former Test players, head coaches, captains and an analyst, among others.
The former Pakistan batter Yousuf confirmed his decision on social media platform X. "I announce my resignation as a selector for the Pakistan cricket team due to personal reasons. Serving this incredible team has been a profound privilege, and I am proud to have contributed to the growth and success of Pakistan Cricket. I have immense faith in the talent and spirit of our players, and Wish our team all the best as they continue to strive for greatness," he wrote on the platform.
However, as reported by PTI, a source close to Yousuf said that the former batter was unhappy with the criticism against him. "He was restless at being ridiculed in the media and on social media regularly and felt it would be best to just focus on coaching," the source said. Notably, the 50-year-old will continue in the role of batting coach in the High-Performance Centre.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board also issued a statement, saying that Yousuf voluntarily served his resignation. "The PCB expresses its sincere gratitude to Mohammad Yousuf for his invaluable contributions during his tenure as a selection committee member. Yousuf will continue to play a pivotal role at the PCB, sharing his extensive knowledge and experience as the batting coach at the High Performance Centre," the PCB said in a statement.
Pakistan Cricket is in turmoil. Pakistan had appointed a seven-member selection committee in March which featured four former cricketers - Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq, the head coach, captain and data analyst with no head. The board removed Wahab and Razzaq after Pakistan's poor performance in the T20 World Cup 2024, where it suffered a group-stage exit. More recently, the Men in Green suffered a 2-0 series sweep against Bangladesh at home in Test cricket.
