The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday appointed former Test cricketer Mohammad Wasim as the chairman of its selection committee until the 2023 World Cup while former wicketkeeper-batsman Saleem Yousuf was confirmed as chair of the PCB Cricket Committee.

The 43-year-old Wasim will replace Misbahul Haq, who stepped down in October to concentrate on his job as head coach of the national team.

The PCB said in a statement that Wasim's appointment was approved by the board chairman Ehsan Mani following the final round of online interviews held on Thursday and Friday.

"This is a performance-oriented world and, as such, my philosophy will be to promote meritocracy and select squads according to home and international conditions and requirements," Wasim said in a statement.

"As a chief selector, I will always be willing to make the hard calls, if these are in the best interest of Pakistan cricket."

Pakistan will have a hectic 2021 as it has planned to host at least four international teams — South Africa, New Zealand, England and the West Indies — besides playing in the Twenty20 World Cup in India.

Wasim's first assignment will be to select the Pakistan team for next month's two-Test and three Twenty20 home series against South Africa.

"We have a busy 2021 year ahead and I will focus on being positive on selections that not only address our short-term needs but also fulfill our long-term ambition," he said.

Wasim is currently the head coach of the Northern Cricket Association, which is in second place in the ongoing domestic first-class tournament.

The PCB said there will be no change in the composition of the selection committee and head coaches of the six teams, competing in first-class cricket, will continue to serve on the panel. As such, PCB will appoint a new head coach of the Northern Cricket Association, who will later join the selection panel.

Wasim, who is from Rawalpindi, played 18 Test matches and 25 one-day internationals for Pakistan between 1996 and 2000. He scored 783 runs in Test matches that included a century on debut against New Zealand. He also served as coach of the Sweden men's team in 2018 before being appointed as Northern Cricket Association head coach last year.

On the other hand, Yousuf has previously served as a member of the PCB's selection committee from 2013-2015. The PCB Cricket Committee also includes the representative of match officials Ali Naqvi, representative of current cricketers Umar Gul, representative of women cricketers Urooj Mumtaz and representative of former cricketers Wasim Akram, according to a statement by the PCB.

The committee advises chairman Ehsan Mani on "cricket-related matters, including but not limited to the performances of the national cricket teams and their managements, domestic cricket structure, high-performance centres and playing conditions".