Minutes after their embarrassing defeat to England in the first Test of the series at the Multan International Cricket Stadium, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed a revamped selection committee, which left cricket fans across the globe stunned.

The Pakistan cricket governing body revealed that umpire Aleem Dar is part of the selection committee. Dar had revealed last month that he will retire from umpiring at the end of the 2024-25 domestic season. The appointment of an umpire in the selection committee of the national team is an unprecedented move with little rationale.

Apart from Dar, the PCB revealed that former cricketers Aaqib Javed and Azhar Ali, as well as analyst Hasan Cheema, have been added to the committee. Asad Shafiq retains his spot, while Mohammad Yusuf resigned from the role earlier this month. The PCB revealed that all members will have voting rights.

Aleem Dar is among the finest umpires Pakistan has ever produced and was part of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires for a period of 19 years from 2004 to 2023. He officiated in 145 Tests, 210 ODIs, and 72 T20Is in his career. Dar was in charge of some of the biggest cricket games in history, including the 2011 Cricket World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka in Mumbai. Dar won the David Shepherd Trophy (ICC Umpire of the Year) for three years in a row between 2009 and 2011.

He is also a former cricketer who was known to bowl leg-spin. He played 17 first-class and 18 List A games in his career. However, he never represented Pakistan.

Dar joins the selection committee at a time when Pakistan cricket finds itself at a historic low after losing six Test matches in a row and still searching for their first win at home in almost four years. Meanwhile, they are also looking for a new captain in ODIs and T20Is after Babar Azam's resignation.

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