Mohsin Naqvi is set to fix the PCB, Aqib Javed and Wahab Riaz are likely to go

The Pakistan Cricket Board is set for a major shake-up, with chairman Mohsin Naqvi expected to make some tough calls in the coming days, including changes to the national selection committee and the dismissal of former Test cricketer Aqib Javed from his duties as chief selector.

Another former Pakistan Test player Wahab Riaz, who has been working as a mentor in the national women’s team since last year, is likely to be sacked along with the coaching staff after the Asian Games in Japan.

“Even Mohsin Naqvi has now realized that some radical measures are required to end the streak of defeats and sudden events in Pakistan cricket. So these changes are now in play,” an inside source said.

Aqib was seen as the leader of several major cricketing decisions taken by the PCB over the past two years, including the controversial decision to make sweeping changes to the Pakistan team and coaching staff during the tour of England after the second Test.

The former Pakistan Test bowler was also widely blamed cricket riots in pakistanwhich has recently witnessed frequent changes in coaching and captain positions.

The source said the PCB’s decision to make changes in selection and other cricketing matters was also prompted by head white-ball coach Mike Hesson indicating that he was willing to take charge of the Test team as well.

He said the PCB is also in talks with several foreign coaches to take over as head coach of the women’s team after the Asian Games.

“Naqvi will soon hold a high-level meeting with his aides and also take the confidence of the governing council members before final decisions are taken on the changes,” he said.

Pakistan have drawn their Test series in the West Indies 1-1 but they swept England 3-0with defeats coming by wide margins, leading to criticism of both the PCB’s cricket policy and the officials responsible for implementing it.

The source said Hesson would like to take charge of the Test team but also made it clear that he would need time to get things right in the red-ball format. He would only accept the position if he was given a confirmed time frame and assured that he would not interfere in his decision-making.

Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s federal interior minister, was in Dubai on Sunday night for the Women’s Asia Cup final where another controversy erupted after the Indian team failed to collect the winners’ trophy from him.

It was a repeat of the controversy surrounding the men’s Asia Cup final in Dubai in 2025, when the Indian team also failed to lift the trophy from Naqvi.

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Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

14 Sep 2026 21:23 IST