Overaged Laeeq replaced in Pakistan Under-19s squad
April 08, 2007
KARACHI: As the Pakistan Under-19s squad got ready to embark upon its tour of Australia, it was revealed by an inside source that all-rounder Mohammad Laeeq had been dropped from the team on account of being found overaged.
Nothing was disclosed officially by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), although Laeeq’s name had been withdrawn from the line-up about a week ago. He has been replaced in the 14-member party with Lahore’s left-handed opening batsman Junaid Malik.
The source felt that an all-rounder should have been replaced by an all-rounder in the touring team. Perhaps, the credentials of Islamabad’s Kamran Hussain, who has been placed among the five standbys, should have been looked into.
Kamran too is an off-break bowler and resolute middle-order batsman as Faisalabad’s Laeeq is. The latter, whose given date of birth is September 4, 1989 — that makes him only 17 years old, was a member of the champion Pakistan side at the Under-19s World Cup in Sri Lanka in February last year.
He had apparently been cleared in all the required tests by the PCB doctors and then accepted by the national selectors too. Only when someone from Faisalabad delivered his original birth and educational certificates to the PCB, that an inquiry was initiated and Laeeq was found overaged.
In 21 matches at all levels during the 2006-07 season, including a couple of appearances for the Faislabad Wolves in the ABN-AMRO Cup One-day Gold Cup Championship, Laeeq totalled 680 runs (ave 28.33) with a highest of 114 not out, held 14 catches and captured 33 wickets at 25.66 runs apiece, with a best of 4-16.
Batsman Junaid Malik, who is an off-spinner but hasn’t bowled at all during his career so far, scored an impressive 898 runs (ave 37.41) in 22 matches this season. His highest was 90 among his seven half-centuries and he held nine catches as fieldsman.
The Pakistan team is playing five Youth One-day Internationals on its tour of Australia, all in the State of Queensland.
There’s a limited overs warm-up match against the Queensland Academy of Sport team at the Peter Burge Oval in Brisbane on April 11 to get the programme started.
The first two ODIs are to be played on April 13 and 14 at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane. The other three will be staged at the Roy Henzell Oval in Caloundra on April 17, 19 and 20.
The touring squad: Ahmed Shahzad (captain), Imad Wasim (vice-captain), Shan Masood, Umar Amin, Zeeshan Mushtaq, Ali Jawad, Taimur Ali, Junaid Malik, Gulraiz Sadaf (wk), Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Rameez, Rahatullah, Junaid Khan and Shahzaib Ahmed Khan.
The team officials: Abdul Raquib (manager), Mohsin Sheikh (coach) and Faisal Hayat (physiotherapist).
Nothing was disclosed officially by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), although Laeeq’s name had been withdrawn from the line-up about a week ago. He has been replaced in the 14-member party with Lahore’s left-handed opening batsman Junaid Malik.
The source felt that an all-rounder should have been replaced by an all-rounder in the touring team. Perhaps, the credentials of Islamabad’s Kamran Hussain, who has been placed among the five standbys, should have been looked into.
Kamran too is an off-break bowler and resolute middle-order batsman as Faisalabad’s Laeeq is. The latter, whose given date of birth is September 4, 1989 — that makes him only 17 years old, was a member of the champion Pakistan side at the Under-19s World Cup in Sri Lanka in February last year.
He had apparently been cleared in all the required tests by the PCB doctors and then accepted by the national selectors too. Only when someone from Faisalabad delivered his original birth and educational certificates to the PCB, that an inquiry was initiated and Laeeq was found overaged.
In 21 matches at all levels during the 2006-07 season, including a couple of appearances for the Faislabad Wolves in the ABN-AMRO Cup One-day Gold Cup Championship, Laeeq totalled 680 runs (ave 28.33) with a highest of 114 not out, held 14 catches and captured 33 wickets at 25.66 runs apiece, with a best of 4-16.
Batsman Junaid Malik, who is an off-spinner but hasn’t bowled at all during his career so far, scored an impressive 898 runs (ave 37.41) in 22 matches this season. His highest was 90 among his seven half-centuries and he held nine catches as fieldsman.
The Pakistan team is playing five Youth One-day Internationals on its tour of Australia, all in the State of Queensland.
There’s a limited overs warm-up match against the Queensland Academy of Sport team at the Peter Burge Oval in Brisbane on April 11 to get the programme started.
The first two ODIs are to be played on April 13 and 14 at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane. The other three will be staged at the Roy Henzell Oval in Caloundra on April 17, 19 and 20.
The touring squad: Ahmed Shahzad (captain), Imad Wasim (vice-captain), Shan Masood, Umar Amin, Zeeshan Mushtaq, Ali Jawad, Taimur Ali, Junaid Malik, Gulraiz Sadaf (wk), Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Rameez, Rahatullah, Junaid Khan and Shahzaib Ahmed Khan.
The team officials: Abdul Raquib (manager), Mohsin Sheikh (coach) and Faisal Hayat (physiotherapist).
