LAHORE: Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood has been appointed as Consultant International Cricket and Players’ Affairs, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday.
The announcement was reportedly first made by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi at a recent luncheon for the Pakistan and South Africa teams, also attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The cricket board has now made the official announcement in a brief statement; however, it did not disclose Masood’s responsibilities in the new role.
The 36-year-old has featured in 44 Tests for Pakistan, captaining the national side in 14 of those games.
Under his leadership, Pakistan defeated England 2-1 last year, their first Test series win against England on home soil since 2005.
The Pakistan Test captain’s appointment came a month after the PCB suspended its Director of International Cricket, Usman Wahla, over delays in handling a crucial communication to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
According to the sources, Wahla was removed from his post after he failed to promptly forward an official letter concerning the Asia Cup handshake controversy, which sparked heated debate across the cricketing world.
Sources said that the PCB leadership grew frustrated over the delayed response, ultimately leading to Wahla’s suspension.
The PCB had lodged a formal complaint with the ICC and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), seeking the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup 2025.
The complaint stemmed from the widely publicised incident during the Pakistan-India fixture in Dubai, where both captains skipped the traditional pre-match handshake — a move reportedly directed by Pycroft.
In its letter, the PCB argued that the referee’s decision undermined the spirit of cricket and contravened the MCC’s long-standing laws.
“No handshakes were exchanged before or after the match, which is a direct violation of the game’s traditions,” the letter read. It further alleged that Pycroft had “failed to fulfil his responsibilities as match referee” and breached the ICC Code of Conduct.
The issue was resolved after the PCB confirmed that Andy Pycroft had apologised to Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and the team manager.
