The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday appointed former cricketers Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum as members of the selection committee led by chief selector Wahab Riaz.

The appointments come as part of a series of change across the team’s management structure, which started with the removal of Babar Azam as captain and also saw Mohammad Hafeez assume coaching duties and Riaz getting the nod for chief selector’s position.

In a press release issued today, the cricket board stated that the “three [former cricketers] have assumed their responsibilities in the selection panel with immediate effect”.

“Their first assignment as consultant members to the chief selector includes the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, set to commence on 12 January 2024 following the conclusion of the Test tour to Australia,” PCB said

According to the board, the former players may be assigned additional tasks such as conducting skills camps when they are not engaged in selection duties.

“Kamran Akmal, in a 15-year career from 2002 to 2017, played 53 Tests, 157 ODIs and 58 T20Is. The former wicketkeeper-batter amassed 6,871 runs across formats and bagged 453 dismissals behind the stumps. He was a member of the Pakistan team that won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 at Lord’s,” the press release stated

“Rao Iftikhar played a Test, 62 ODIs and two T20Is from 2004 to 2010 and took a total of 78 international wickets. He was also part of the side that lifted the T20 World Cup in 2009,” it said.

“Former Test captain Salman Butt represented Pakistan in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is. He made 5,209 runs spanning the three formats with 11 international centuries. He was in the T20 World Cup winning squad in 2009,” it added.

Butt, who was banned over a high-profile spot-fixing scandal for which the former skipper publicly apologised, was also appointed to a coaching role with Singapore’s national team last year.