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Mohsin Naqvi and Azhar Mahmood
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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has announced a shift in the way the national cricket team will be selected. The PCB is now turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to help choose players and replace those who are underperforming.

This move follows Pakistan's disappointing performances, including a historic loss to Bangladesh. Naqvi believes AI can provide the necessary data to rebuild the team and improve its future performances.

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How will AI help in Pakistan team selection?

Naqvi explained that the PCB is using AI to prepare squads for the upcoming Champions Cup. He said that 80% of the squad selection for the tournament was done using AI, with the remaining 20% decided by the human selection committee.

"These 150 players that have been selected, 80% of it has been done by AI, and 20% using humans. Nobody can challenge that. We gave about 20% weightage to our selection committee. If we replace a player with a worse one, you'll be the first to complain. We'll have records and we'll all be able to see transparently who deserves a place in the team," Naqvi said.

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The chairman highlighted that AI provides a transparent and data-driven approach, which he believes will lead to better decision-making.

"I spoke of surgery because we need to fix our problems. But when we look at how to resolve them, we don't have any solid data or player pool which we can draw from. The whole system was a mess. For surgery, you need all the tools to perform it," he added.

What are the expectations from the Champions Cup?

Naqvi is confident that the Champions Cup will produce great talent. He assured that any player not performing will be promptly replaced. This will ensure that the national team comprises only the best players.

"The Champions Cup will end in September, and then there will be records for everyone. Anyone who isn't performing will be immediately replaced. It shouldn't come down to anyone's individual opinions and wishes," he concluded.

By relying on data-driven insights, PCB is looking to rebuild the team and restore its former glory. While this approach has sparked interest and debate, Naqvi remains optimistic that AI will bring the much-needed change in Pakistan's cricketing fortunes.

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Divy Dubey Photo

Divy Dubey is a content producer for The Sporting News' India edition.