ISLAMABAD: Some newcomers knocking at the doors of international cricket and those who are fresh to the stage will be given opportunities to flex their muscles against visiting New Zealand team during the forthcoming five-match T20 series at home.
These views were expressed by the Selection Committee members who met the team probables here at the local hotel ahead of the Iftar-dinner reception hosted by Chief of the Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir.
The members of the Selection Committee made it clear that those failing to get a chance to play against New Zealand would be part of the future selection process. “Some new faces and new entrants into international cricket will be given a chance to play against New Zealand. Cricketers left out of the series or left out of the playing XI will be given opportunities for the upcoming tours,” the selectors told players.
The committee members also made it clear that good performance in one T20 does not mean that a particular cricketer will be there in the next match playing XI. “We are taking this series on experimental basis where maximum efforts will be made to give opportunity to the maximum players,” selection committee’s members said.
‘The News’ has learnt that an 18-member squad will be announced today (Tuesday) for the five-match series against a new-look New Zealand side. Among the 29 players who featured in the camp, only Mohammad Rizwan was not present as he had left for Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah on Sunday night.
In the meeting, the selection committee took the players in confidence regarding the selection policy, which includes rotation policy and providing opportunities to new players.
The committee members present at the meeting were Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Bilal Afzal, Hasan Cheema, Mohammad Yousuf and Wahab Riaz. Usman Wahla Director of International Cricket Operations also attended the meeting.
The selection committee will announce the Pakistan men’s squad for T20I series in Lahore on Tuesday. New Zealand men’s team are set to arrive in Islamabad on April 14 to feature in a five-match T20I series, commencing from April 18 at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi. After the series, the Pakistan men’s team will travel to Ireland and England to feature in the T20I series following which the team will travel to England en route to USA and West Indies to feature in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
