Two sets of teams sent to 3-member panel: Another surprising move by PCB

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has surprisingly forwarded names of two sets of teams for each provincial association, apparently cutting short the work of three-member panel formed to look into these formations for the first class and grade-II cricket.

A well-placed source has confirmed to The News that 192-names that were forwarded by a group of panel has already finalised two teams for each provincial association-16 players for the first Class cricket and another sixteen for back up cricket-meaning Grade II cricket.

The three-member newly-formed panel comprising Misbah-ul-Haq, Nadeem Khan and Rashid Latif are to meet in Lahore Thursday to look into these given teams.“It is not yet clear whether the newly-formed three-member panel has the powers to make fresh list and include those names that are missing. It is believed that the panel has not been briefed on their mandate. There are some glaring misses in the two sets of teams finalised for each association for the forthcoming domestic cricket starting from September 11 at the different venues of the country,” a source close to the panel when approached said.

He said that there was no use of appointing the three-member panel if they cannot make changes in the teams-and to include fresh names from the 192-players already there or make necessary reshuffling in two set of 16-member team each. “Look the panel consisting of Tauseef Ahmed, Wajahatullah Wasti, Wasim Haider (all members of former selection committee), Saleem Jaffer, Arshad Khan, Rao Iftikhar, Taufeeq Umer (all members of junior selection committee) and Akram Raza, Azam Khan, Ijaz Ahmed Junior and Raj Hans have finalised 192-players list and have made two-set of teams for each provincial association.

There is a need for making necessary changes in these teams. Some of the players who should have been in the teams for first class cricket have been placed in second string of that particular provincial association and some are there in the main team that should have been there in second string.

Some glaring misses are there as some of the names are not there.” Source said that when the newly-formed three-member panel will meet in Lahore Thursday the first question they will be facing is the required mandate.

“In case the PCB decides to give them open mandate, there is a chance that a fresh list will be prepared and teams will again be given new look. In that scenario, the three-member team will require more than one-day to finalise these teams.” When the PCB spokesman was contacted, he said that the newly-formed panel had all the mandate to make changes. “Previous panel was looking after the selection matters. If there is any change or changes, the newly appointed panel can make necessary adjustments.”