Basit unhappy with U19 standards

Head of junior selection committee criticises quality of coaches, players

KARACHI: Head of junior selection committee Basit Ali on Friday expressed displeasure on the quality of coaching and cricket being played at the U19 Inter-Regional level.

“The players don’t have the hunger to become good cricketers; all of them are playing just to win games and not to improve their game, and that is all because of poor coaching,” Basit Ali told The Express Tribune. “If coaching at this level is done to win games, then there is no use of these tournaments.”

The 46-year-old revealed that the coaches are telling their players to set the wrong field on the off-side and their bowling plans are also flawed. “We have to develop players at this level and spread awareness about the game — the shots, fielding and bowling,” he said, adding that this is one of the reasons for the lack of talent.

“I have decided to write to the Director of National Cricket Academy Mudassar Nazar to improve the quality of coaching. I will also select the players for upcoming tours on the basis of their talent. I will be looking out of natural stroke makers and bowlers,” he said.

He also criticized the quality of pitches being used at the regional level. “In other top cricketing nations, one-day tournaments are played on pure batting pitches. If we play on low-scoring pitches in Pakistan, it will not be beneficial for the future of our nation’s cricket,” he said.