Contracts list may be expanded
Numbers increased due to more deserving players, says chief selector.
KARACHI:
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may expand the list of centrally-contracted players as the selection committee meets this week to finalise fresh list for the first half of the year, according to acting chief selector Mohammad Illyas.
The PCB announced the last list in August, naming 28 players and included a stipend category besides ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’. However, according to officials, the board has asked the selection committee to provide a list of 35 players for the central contracts that will be effective from January 1, 2012.
The chief selector, although refusing to confirm the number, said that there existed a possibility of the increase.
“If we find an increase in the number of deserving players then we’ll expand the list,” Illyas told The Express Tribune. “The criteria, as before, will be the players’ recent performance, fitness levels and discipline.”
Afridi ‘almost certain’ to regain contract
Meanwhile, former captain Shahid Afridi, whose central contract was cancelled after he retired from international cricket last year, is likely to get back on the list.
Following his retirement, the PCB did not include him in the list released for the second half of the year, given his unavailability for the national squad. However, the change at helm at the PCB followed by Afridi’s return has almost confirmed his return to the list too.
“Afridi is almost certain to get a contract,” said an official close to the selection committee before adding that Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal are likely to be overlooked again. Fawad Alam, who remained out of favour throughout 2011, may also return after a good show in the Quaid Trophy.
“Those who performed with consistency on the domestic circuit will be preferred,” said the official before hinting that there also existed chances of a raise in the players’ salaries that have been unchanged for a couple of years.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2012.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may expand the list of centrally-contracted players as the selection committee meets this week to finalise fresh list for the first half of the year, according to acting chief selector Mohammad Illyas.
The PCB announced the last list in August, naming 28 players and included a stipend category besides ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’. However, according to officials, the board has asked the selection committee to provide a list of 35 players for the central contracts that will be effective from January 1, 2012.
The chief selector, although refusing to confirm the number, said that there existed a possibility of the increase.
“If we find an increase in the number of deserving players then we’ll expand the list,” Illyas told The Express Tribune. “The criteria, as before, will be the players’ recent performance, fitness levels and discipline.”
Afridi ‘almost certain’ to regain contract
Meanwhile, former captain Shahid Afridi, whose central contract was cancelled after he retired from international cricket last year, is likely to get back on the list.
Following his retirement, the PCB did not include him in the list released for the second half of the year, given his unavailability for the national squad. However, the change at helm at the PCB followed by Afridi’s return has almost confirmed his return to the list too.
“Afridi is almost certain to get a contract,” said an official close to the selection committee before adding that Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal are likely to be overlooked again. Fawad Alam, who remained out of favour throughout 2011, may also return after a good show in the Quaid Trophy.
“Those who performed with consistency on the domestic circuit will be preferred,” said the official before hinting that there also existed chances of a raise in the players’ salaries that have been unchanged for a couple of years.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2012.