DOMESTIC CRICKET: New panel to discuss teams

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

A well-placed source told ‘The News’ on Wednesday that 192 names of players that were forwarded by a group of panel have already finalised two teams for each provincial association — 16 players for the first-class and another 16 for the Grade II cricket.

The three-member newly formed panel comprising Misbahul Haq, Nadeem Khan and Rashid Latif are to meet in Lahore today (Thursday) to look into these given teams.

“It is not yet clear whether the newly-formed 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 teams finalised for each association for the forthcoming domestic cricket starting from September 11 at different venues of the country,” a source close to the panel when approached said.

He said that there was no use of appointing the panel if they can’t make changes in the teams.

“Look the panel consisting of Tauseef Ahmed, Wajahatullah Wasti and Wasim Haider (members of former selection committee), Saleem Jaffer, Arshad Khan, Rao Iftikhar and Taufeeq Umer (members of junior selection committee) and Akram Raza, Azam Khan, Ijaz Ahmed Junior and Raj Hans have finalised a 192-player list and have made two sets 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 the 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 in the second string. Some glaring misses are there as some of the names are not there.”

The source said that when the panel will meet 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 looking.”

When the Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman was contacted, he said that the panel had all the powers 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.”