Disgraced Pakistani pacer Wahab Riaz entered politics while performing on the cricket circuit after being appointed Acting Minister of Sports in Punjab.
The fast left-handed bowler, currently playing in Bangladesh’s Premier League, will take the oath after returning to Pakistan.
The 37-year-old has signed with Peshawar his Zalmi in this year’s Pakistan Super his league and is expected to deliver on his commitment to Zalmi’s team despite being appointed Minister of Sports.
Wahab, who last played for Pakistan in 2020, has made 27 Tests, 92 in his ODIs and 36 in his T20 Internationals. With 103 his wickets, he is the leading wicket taker in his PSL. Wahab’s appointment was confirmed by Punjab acting prime minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday, and the cricketer is likely to hold the position until Punjab state legislative elections in the next three to four months.
In an interview on Friday, Wahab said former chiefs his selector Muhammad Wasim and former Pakistani cricket committee president Ramiz Rajah said that he himself, Shoaib, had said he wanted to take on high-ranking players like Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed. said it was not fair.
He also knew that Ramiz was the final vote when it came to choosing the Pakistani side, but had not shown his seniors the respect they deserved.
Wahab is not the first cricketer to enter politics as a former captain. Imran Khan remained prime minister, but another lead, Sarfaraz Nawaz, was his MNA elected and served as sports minister in Benazir Bhutto’s government in the 1990s.