Sports

PCB chairman, Sethi at 'loggerheads' over World Cup team selection

PCB chairman says Sarfraz Ahmed should replace Nasir Jamshed in playing eleven

Web Desk March 02, 2015

PHOTO: REUTERS

A day after Pakistan claimed its first World Cup win in the World Cup tournament, the ongoing rift over selection matters between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan and chairman of the executive committee Najam Sethi came out in the open.

Read: 'Cornered tigers' claim their first World Cup win

Objecting to the choice of the playing eleven, Shaharyar said he would like to see wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed play in the next few games, according to NDTV.

The tour selection committee has so far resisted playing Sarfaraz in the tournament and have selected Umar Akmal as the part time keeper instead.

Further, in the match against West Indies the tour selectors chose three specialist bowlers and Afridi.

Read: West Indies bounce back with 150-run rout for Pakistan

But the PCB chairman did not only reserve his criticism for the choice of wicketkeeper and asserted out of form opener Nasir Jamshed needed to be replaced by Sarfaraz in the playing eleven.

"I think Sarfaraz should be selected in place of Nasir Jamshed and open the innings against UAE and South Africa," Shaharyar said.

Referring to Pakistan’s first win, the PCB said the decision to play five bowlers in the match proved beneficial.

"I have been saying that playing five bowlers is essential in this World Cup."

However, Sethi had a different opinion regarding selection issues and claimed he did not want to interfere.

"I don't think I would want to interfere in selection matters and it is for experts to comment on cricket matters not mine," Sethi said.

Read: Series of defeats: Sethi mistimes his defence of Pakistan

Further, Shahryar added, "I am very happy to see Pakistan win today but the team needs to show more improvement to progress further.”

Shahryar’s statements come after chief selector Moin Khan was called back from Australia following his visit to a casino in Brisbane sparked controversy.

Read: Moin Khan arrives in Karachi following casino controversy

Shahryar’s statements may seem as a direct foray into selection matters but under the PCB constitution, as the chairman of the board he has the final say in selection matters and can veto the selectors and even the team management.

However, normally former heads of the board have preferred to use their veto powers in selection matters privately but not publicly.

Earlier reports suggested Shaharyar and Sethi are not on the same page as the latter has remained in the board even after leaving the post of chairman.

COMMENTS (34)

the Skunk | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistanis are big talkers with nothing to show. Sixty-eight years of independence and we are deeply immersed in corruption that has taken our minds off everything else. This curse of has made deep inroads into the PCB resulting in three of our players getting jailed. Yet the squabbling continues unabated. We have to look forward to the days when PCB will be disbanded and provincial setups will be formed like Scottish and Irish teams. The fighting team of Afghanistan should be an eye-opener. Salams

Ishrat Ansari | 9 years ago | Reply Bold and decisive quick decisions are needed right now. Otherwise Pakistan is going to lose. The Chairman should use his powers and put his foot down. Sarfaraz should be in the next playing 11 and he should put Pakistan’s star batsman Fawad Alam and proven strike bowler Anwar Ali on the next plane to Australia. With these 3 players playing for a truly Pakistan national team, we have a real shot at the semi-finals of the World Cup, With the present team we do not have any chance whatsoever. Mr. Sethi if you really want to remembered, please think in terms of National team playing for Pakistan. You know like every Pakistani that the way Pakistani team is selected defeats were all but certain. It is too much to expect you. Mr. Sethi. to rise to the occasion join hands with the chirman and send these two from Pakistan and hve Sarfaraz playing in the team?

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Karachi Kid | 9 years ago | Reply Sarfaraz just like Fawad Alam will never get to play because they are from karachi. The cricket board and its mediocre player will always be dominated by our favorite province ...

Tahseen Sheikh | 9 years ago | Reply Sarfarz Ahmed must be part of all future games in current world cup, either the performance. Team management must provide him confidence. Misbah (the selfish) must keep himself silent rather than giving stupid statements. SARFAZ U R THE BEST behind the wicket and front of the wicket.

syed baqar ahsan | 9 years ago | Reply These both rogues to be shown door and they rest at home and read books in lawn.

syed baqar ahsan | 9 years ago | Reply these babas & chachas are ruining this country and political backing with them is venom for the complete society.Put Talat Hussain anchor person as PCB CHAIRMAN

BABA | 9 years ago | Reply @Anarchist: very well said. To @Adnan Siddiqi, I hope you respond to what anarchist said

Palvasha von Hassell | 9 years ago | Reply I meant "insignificance", of course! @Palvasha von Hassell:

Pindi Kid | 9 years ago | Reply In this case I agree with PCB chairman Shehryar 1000%. Nasir Jamshed is not at even first class level currently with his batting and fielding. Choosing Nasir while benching Sarfraz is costing Pakistan 3-4 catches every match between Akmal and Nasir. And Sarfraz is at least as good if not much better at opening batsman than Nasir. Even if Sarfraz does not bat better (which I beleive he will) just putting a specialist keeper in, and replacing the horrendous fielding of Nasir with Umar will be a big improvement. This is a no brainer and a must for the rest of the tournament.

syed & syed | 9 years ago | Reply @Asad@NYC: Nawaz Shareef appointed Sethi to control cricket in spite of clear orders of the SC against Sethi. It is NS who should be tried for contempt of Court

Dilip | 9 years ago | Reply Leave the selection to the experts. Sethi and Khan should not be commenting on the selectors choice. They were employed to do a specific task. The selectors with the captain are the ones that decide who should paly and who should be benched. If they would listen to us then there would possibly be twenty different teams being selected.

LOK | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi sb, please leave PCB.

Hamood | 9 years ago | Reply Nawaz Sharif is destroying one of the last institutions barely standing in Pakistan i.e.,PCB by placing his crony Sethi who knows nothing about cricket.

Mohammad Ali Siddiqui | 9 years ago | Reply Let Mr Shaharyar do the job and Najam Sethi should not poke his nose as he is no more Chairman of PCB.

Palvasha von Hassell | 9 years ago | Reply Don't quite understand how any other consideration apart from putting together the best playing eleven to ensure optimal performance at the World Cup can count. All differences of opinion, feuds, animosities etc. should pale into significance when it comes to shining at world-class cricket tournaments.

Anon | 9 years ago | Reply Seriously?! The board and the chairman are deciding on the playing 11? What is Misbah's job exactly?

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Where is survey depicting sathi as a good option caretaker cm, what are the services of this man in any field, he is not a bureaucrat not technocrat, even not a cricketer, not nationally reputed or internationality literary personality, why he is being nominated for important position without any qualification or achievement,

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Ney, u took it personally n avoided to give answer, it means u do not want others to get benefited from your valuable knowledge. But u can not hide your treasure from everyone here on ET anymore.

Asad@NYC | 9 years ago | Reply So Sethi was responsible for 2013 elections in Punjab and ONLY reason a guy, with no cricketing background is controlling the cricket of Pakistan because else he will run his mouth how everything was actually controlled by Jaiti Amrah during/before 2013 elections and that he (Sethi) had no control. It was Nawaz who selected Sethi despite court verdicts against him and it is Nawaz Shareef that We Pakistanis hold responsible for the performance of Pakistani cricket team.

oBSERVER | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Yours seems to be wide enough to absorb so many Niazis!

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @Joker: Why do you perceive that Niazi is a stigma or I am using the term with a derogatory intent? It is this mentality of who and which clan has done the most for Pakistan that has led us to nowhere. Besides 1992 World Cup, SKMH Misbah ul Haq, etc.; there is another very solid contribution of Niazi clan which you have forgotten - dismemberment of Pakistan and creation of Bangladesh.

Anarchist | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: People of your ilk dont get a simple thing: when you dont appoint people on merit, it destroys institutions. It does not matter whether its PCB or Coca Cola. NS would have never appointed Sethi as a junior manager in Ittefaq Foundary because he lacks required qualifiications. But when it comes to state institutions, everything goes. Wake up and try to look at things from beyond partisan lenses.

Joker | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Although i am not a Niazi but why always you do racist comments and ET publishes it happily. I think if you dig down in the Siddiqi clan, you will find more problems in it than Niazi. By the way, there is no contribution on the Siddiqi clan in Pakistan. There are at least few by Niazies including 1992 world cup, SKMCH, Misbah-ul-Haq, etc.

salman | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi and Nawaz Govt has destroyed not just the country but Pakistani cricket team as well. Careful implant of Sethi in PCB by Nawaz Sharif was the objective and the results are there for every one. Horrendous team selection and replacement. All what Nawaz is interested is to have his touts in every department rest, as far as performance, is concerned he is least interested from sports to media or any financial department.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @Raisani: Just widen your myopic mindset and you'd figure it out.

pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply and this is how PML(N) has destroyed every institute of this country. They are worse than PPP.

Shakil | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi the biggest culprit to bring Pakistan to this sorry state. He should be tried in Milatary court for this biggest crime against the Pakistan Nation.

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Adnan by the way who's this Niazi which you don't forget to mention in any of ur post? seems like u love him so much. is it Attaullah Niazi? the singer? just asking to widened my g.k. :-)

Raisani | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi Sir, plz leave cricket now and just carry on with your puncture shop please. This is nation's voice.

Umair | 9 years ago | Reply Come on!! ET don't invent news

Khurram | 9 years ago | Reply Sethi must throughout from Pakistan Cricket and its affairs.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @Timorlane: & Sethi's services rendered as caretaker CM Punjab was appreciated by everyone but mostly by Niazi.

K Alam | 9 years ago | Reply Mr. Sethi Says, its for the experts to comment. Then what are you doing in the PCB, if you can't comment on cricketing matter?

Timorlane | 9 years ago | Reply For the "services" rendered during May 2013 elections Sethi is blue eyed boy of Sharifs and thus would prevail upon to ensure corruption and nepotism in Pakistan cricket

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