The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made strategic moves by appointing former cricket stars Kamran Akmal, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, and Salman Butt as consultant members to chief selector Wahab Riaz. This trio, part of Pakistan’s victorious 2009 T20 World Cup squad, steps into their roles immediately, focusing on the upcoming five-match T20I series in New Zealand.

These appointments extend beyond selection duties, encompassing responsibilities like conducting skill camps, highlighting the PCB’s holistic approach towards their contributions to the cricketing landscape. Follow your favourite cricket team with attractive betting odds from Nextbet.

While Akmal and Iftikhar Anjum have prior experience in selection roles, this marks Butt’s inaugural official stint with the PCB post his ban related to the spot-fixing scandal in 2010. Their induction arrives after the 2023 ODI World Cup debacle, leading to Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz assuming the roles of team director and chief selector, respectively.

Amidst these changes, Babar Azam’s decision to step down from captaincy across all formats reverberated across the cricketing world. Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi will now spearhead the Test and T20I teams respectively, as the squad braces for the challenging Australian tour.

The upcoming three-match Test series in Australia presents an opportunity for Pakistan to script history by securing their maiden Test series win on Australian soil. However, history does not favor them, having faced consecutive defeats in Australia for over two decades.

Captain Shan Masood, leading an 18-member squad, aims to reverse Pakistan’s fortunes against the formidable Australian side. Injuries sideline speedster Naseem Shah, opening doors for newcomers Saim Ayub and Khurram Shahzad, receiving their maiden Test call-ups.

The Men in Green faced setbacks in their previous encounters against Australia, enduring a whitewash in their last visit Down Under in 2019-20 and a home series loss in 2021-22. Their quest for redemption in Australia faces the challenge of overcoming a daunting 14-match losing streak in the country, the last triumph dating back to 1995-96.

Pakistan’s recent red-ball triumph against Sri Lanka contrasts starkly with Australia’s most recent red-ball outing in the drawn Ashes series against England. The contrasting trajectories set the stage for an intriguing battle as Pakistan endeavors to break their Australian jinx and make a resounding mark in the upcoming Test series. Get free cricket betting tips only on Nextbet Sports.