ISLAMABAD: All the first choice cricketers currently busy playing County Cricket will be made part of the Pakistan camp probables as the selectors have decided to field the best outfit in the three-match ODI series against West Indies.
A well-placed source told ‘The News’ that following a detailed consultation process it has been decided to field the best team against West Indies rather getting involved in any experiment.
“Since the three-match ODI series is part of the World Cup qualifying round, it would be unreasonable to take any undue risk and play a below par team against the highly talented West Indies side. So, we have decided to play the best available team. Unless and until any player is unfit or unavailable for any other reason, no genuine player will be dropped on the pretext of giving him rest ahead of the hectic international tour.”
The source added that even some of the leading players currently busy playing in the English County have expressed their keenness to be part of the team for the series against West Indies.
“At one stage we were considering resting some of the key players but the majority of stakeholders were of the opinion that resting some key players would be too risky. Since Pakistan are to play three ODIs, there is no big risk involved in exposing your key players as they would be having enough time to regroup ahead of the tour to Holland for ODIs and to Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series.”
Over the last few days, the leading PCB protagonists stayed busy in the consultation process on the formation of national camp probable for the series and the best possible combination against West Indies.
“Since the conditioning camp is already under way, the best and the most suitable players for the series would be included in the camp solely meant for the West Indies series.”
Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi is already back home while some of the other leading players will be heading home once the camp probables are announced on May 23. The camp starts from June 1 with the series against West Indies getting underway from June 8.
“Only those players will be invited from England for the camp who have realistic chances of playing for Pakistan against West Indies. Those having remote chances of representing Pakistan in presence of first choice players will not be required,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the PCB is awaiting the outcome of political maneuvering to make up their mind on the venue of the three-match ODI series against West Indies.
In case the PTI decides to stage a march on the capital on or around the first ten days of June, the venue is likely to be changed from Pindi to Karachi otherwise the matches would be staged at the Pindi Stadium. The much-awaited decision by the PTI on the long-march is expected within the next few days.