PCB selectors likely to give final shape to squad today

ISLAMABAD: As the New Zealand Cricket Board rested/sidelined the top 12 first-choice cricketers, who in all probabilities will be part of the T20 World Cup, the PCB’s Selection Committee will meet today (Thursday) to think afresh on the team combination for the home series.

As many as nine top New Zealand cricketers are busy playing IPL in India. These include Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner and Kane Williamson. None of these have been directed to join the team for the series in Pakistan. Same is the case with W. Young who is busy with Nottinghamshire, Tom Latham (to be with his wife for the birth of their child), and Tim Southee (rested-workload management).

New Zealand has announced a team that could virtually be termed a backup squad or A team which barring a few would not be part of the T20 World Cup squad.

‘The News’ has learnt that the PCB’s Selection Committee that meets Wednesday evening/Thursday to give the team a final shape for the series against New Zealand, is expected to think differently about the team combination for the series considering the strength of opposition. Risking top pace bowlers like the blunder selectors made in the case of Naseem Shah last year would usher no good to the team’s campaign for the World Cup. Early indications coming out of the series of selectors’ meetings suggest that Shaheen Afridi will be made to sit out from part of the series. Now, after going through the New Zealand team’s combination and their board’s decision to give rest to almost 80 percent of the possible World Cup squad, PCB selectors are expected to think afresh and select a team, aiming at testing the skills of those who have outside chances of making it to the World Cup squad.

“When we meet late evening on Wednesday or early Thursday morning, our efforts will be to select a team that could help us determine the true potential of all those having border-line chances of making it to the World Cup T20 squad. When it comes to batting, we don’t have many options. But when it comes to bowling or strengthening the all-rounder ability, we have different combinations in mind. Let’s see what happens in the meeting,” one of the selectors when approached said. He added that no combination is final at this point of time for the series against New Zealand. “We would be in a position to say something about it after the final meeting,” he said.