Rashid Latif named Pakistan chief selector

Rashid Latif, the former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper, has been named chief selector of the national team. He will replace Azhar Khan, who was named head of the selection panel for an interim period when the PCB was taken over by an eight-man management committee after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif dissolved the board of governors on February 10. Latif will take over the role from April 1.

This is the third time in less than a month that the chief selector has been changed. Earlier, the PCB, under Zaka Ashraf, had appointed Aamer Sohail as head of the selection panel, which was immediately denounced by the new management committee under Najam Sethi and coordinate member Azhar was put in charge to select the ODI and T20 squads for the tournaments in Bangladesh.

Latif was in contention for different roles, including the head of anti-corruption department. He, though, has been given an additional responsibility to assist the board in imparting training and conducting lectures on anti-corruption matters.

"I am excited on getting associated with PCB," Latif said. "I will endeavour to build a strong team keeping in view the World Cup 2015. I will also assist PCB in whatever way I can in anti-corruption matters."

The other selectors in the selection panel are Azhar, Saleem Jaffar and Farukh Zaman. Pakistan's next assignment will be a home series against Australia in the UAE in October.

Latif played 37 Tests and 166 ODIs in a career that spanned 11 years. He last played in 2003 and since than has been engaged with the game, running a cricket academy in Karachi. He is currently working as a government graded officer - as sports head of Port Qasim Authority (also a first-class team). According to the PCB, he will join them on deputation from his parent department.