Former Pakistan cricket chief selector Tauseef Ahmed has alleged that former head coach Saqlain Mushtaq was attempting to sway the decision on the selection of all-rounder Shadab Khan.
The claim came up in a recent interview of Tauseef on former Pakistan batter Fawad Alam’s podcast. While talking about favouritism in the team selection, Tauseef said Saqlain was very interested in selecting Shadab and had contacted him about the player.
Tauseef also claimed that another person had called him to come meet him about Shadab, and that he had a recording relating to the matter. Fawad Alam asked if he was talking about Saqlain and Shadab, to which Tauseef replied positively.
The former selector questioned what he termed “overlooking” of Shadab and thought there should be a limit on the number of chances a player should have when it is debatable. But his remarks are allegations, and the recording he’s referring to is not public.
Challenging the claims on X, Saqlain directly called out Tauseef asking him to release the purported voice recording. He added that he had contacted Tauseef “with respect” to him being a senior, and refuted the manner in which the conversation was put. Saqlain also claimed that he had his own recording of the interaction and was willing to make it public if Tauseef released his recording.
The controversy has garnered further interest as Saqlain and Shadab share a familial connection as Saqlain is Shadab’s son-in-law. Saqlain was the interim head coach of Pakistan from 2021 to 2023, and Tauseef was a part of the national selection process during that time.
Tauseef also has raised his queries about Shadab’s fitness and opportunities in the national side. Other reports regarding the podcast included that he brought up other issues about how former international players and coaches can affect selection decisions.
The purported recording and independent evidence of what Tauseef says has yet to be produced. That’s why the allegations have not been independently confirmed and continue to be disputed between the two former Pakistan spinners.
The exchange, however, has brought back the debate on selection transparencies in Pakistan cricket, specifically on the scope of former coaches, selectors and senior players that should be given in selecting the national team.
The dispute now is over the purported recording and the different versions of the discussion. There could be more clarity in the claims from any release of the recordings or any further response by both sides.
