Wahab Riaz joins politics, becomes sports minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province
Long-out of Pakistan cricket team, fast bowler Wahab Riaz has joined politics while remaining active in sports and was on Friday made the caretaker sports minister of the country’s Punjab province. The left arm bowler is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League. He will take oath as minister on his return home. The 37-year-old has been retained by Peshawar Zalmi in the squad for this year’s Pakistan Super League and is expected to fulfill his commitment despite his appointment as sports minister.
Wahab last represented Pakistan in 2020. He has played 27 Tests, 92 ODIs and 36 T20 Internationals. He is the highest wicket taker in PSL with 103 wickets. Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed Wahab’s appointment on Friday. He is likely to continue in this post till the elections to the Punjab Assembly are held in the next three to four months. Wahab said in an interview on Friday that he had accused former chief selector Muhammad Wasim and former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Rameez Raja of not being fair to senior players like him, Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed.
