Former cricketer Azhar Ali, a member of Pakistan Cricket Board’s national men’s selection committee, has resigned from both his role on the panel and as Head of Youth Development, media reports confirmed on Tuesday.
Azhar joined the national selection committee in October 2024 alongside former ICC elite umpire Aleem Dar and ex-Test pacer Aqib Javed, joining Asad Shafiq who was already serving.
The panel arrived amid a turbulent period following Pakistan’s innings defeat in the Multan Test against England.
The revamped committee drew attention after making bold calls, including dropping star batter Babar Azam and pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah from the remaining two Tests. The decisions sparked debate but were credited with helping Pakistan bounce back to claim a 2-1 series win.
In November 2024, the PCB appointed him as Head of Youth Development after a formal recruitment process. In the role, he oversaw grassroots programs, long-term talent pathways, and development of players from junior to elite levels.
The resignation comes as a surprise amid the board’s focus on strengthening its development framework. The PCB has not issued an official statement on the reasons behind the departure.
The former player enjoyed a distinguished international career, earning 97 Test and 53 ODI caps, captaining Pakistan in nine Tests and 31 ODIs, and playing a key role in Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy triumph in 2017. He scored 7,097 runs in 96 Test matches at an average of 42.49, making him Pakistan’s fifth-highest Test run-scorer with 19 centuries and 34 half-centuries.