PCB decides to call back players from ongoing CPL

ISLAMABAD: As the Pakistan ODI squad had over two hours meeting with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman-elect Ramiz Raja in Lahore Tuesday, the board has asked all the four T20 cricketers busy competing for their respective franchise in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to report back for the national camp on September 12.

The camp for the T20 players will get underway from September 16 with all the selected members will have to undergo testing procedures starting from September 12 at their respective homes.

“All the four players named in the T20 team for the World Cup and are busy playing in the CPL have been asked to report back on September 12 for the camp training. These players are Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Azam Khan, and Asif Ali. Since they are being called back for national duty, they will have to join the camp at the outset,” a PCB official said.

Pakistan cricketers are in contract with the league till September 18 when the final will be played.

“The four will have to cut short their engagements to join the camp and may have to pay the penalty for an early exit from the CPL.”

Meanwhile, Ramiz has met ODI team members in Lahore Tuesday before their scheduled travel to Islamabad for the training camp starting at the Pindi Stadium from September 8. Those who met Ramiz included 20 players, coaches Saqlain Mushtaq, Abdul Razzak and team manager Mansoor Rana.

“The meeting took place after all were tested negative for Covid-19. The meeting was more a sort of introduction and initial briefing from Ramiz as how to pursue the game from here on,” a source told ‘The News’.

Though nothing was shared officially about the unofficial and unscheduled meeting, it is believed that Ramiz was more focused on making the team members realize the importance of their role for the country and its cricket.

“It was more a sort of introduction and an effort on part of the chairman (to be) to make players realise how important their role is for country’s cricket. Ramiz shared with us some of his personal experiences and asked us to focus on our cricket wholeheartedly. He lauded the players and at the same time wanted us to put up our best efforts through sheer hard work and by attaining extreme physical fitness,” one of the participants told ‘The News’.

It has also been learned that Ramiz told players to put country cricket’s prestige in high esteem and use all their energies to become a better and renowned international cricketer.

By our correspondent

LAHORE: Changes in the team announced for the T20 World Cup have annoyed Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who wanted to have four particular players in the squad, sources said.

It has been learnt that Babar wanted to have four players in the team but the chairman-to-be Ramiz Raja weeded out those cricketers.

Babar wanted openers Sharjeel Khan and Fakhar Zaman, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and leg-spinner Usman Qadir in the team.

But Raja had them replaced with middle-order batsmen Asif Ali, Khushdil Shah, Azam Khan and Sohaib Maqsood. “Even if one of them performs well, Pakistan will win the World Cup,” he told Babar in a conversation which took place at the National High Performance Centre in Lahore a few days ago. “This is the best squad,” added the former Pakistan opener.

Pakistan can make changes to their T20 World Cup squad by October 16 (without any questions being asked) as per the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s policy.

Sources said that the skipper was not informed about the selection of the team for the mega-event.

Moreover, it was revealed that he was not pleased with the inclusion of Azam and Sohaib, who were added by the chief selector after discussion with Ramiz.

Sources also revealed that the selection of the 15-man squad is also a message to Babar to focus solely on playing rather than selection of the players.