KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in yet another brainless act, has included an over-age, underperforming player for the ACC U19 Asia Cup, leaving out the season’s highest wicket-taker for the regional event scheduled to take off in Malaysia from June 21.
With the central contract blunder still fresh, the board named the 20-year-old Shahid Ilyas in the squad despite medical tests, conducted by the PCB itself in February, confirming that the individual was overage. Muhammad Nawaz, who went onto perform outstandingly in the series, was named his replacement but now the new selection committee, led by Iqbal Qasim, has named Ilyas in the under19 squad again.
“Ilyas challenged the PCB’s decision following his withdrawal earlier in the court and he won,” a member of the selection committee told The Express Tribune. “The board then gave us a green signal to select him and we did that.”
Worryingly, the PCB’s official website still lists Ilyas as a 20-year-old.
Meanwhile, Jaahid Shoukat Ali was another surprise inclusion in the squad, preferred over deserving and better performing players. Jaahid scored 556 runs in the PCB U19 three and one-day events while but Karachi Blues’ Ahsan Ali (743 runs), who represented Pakistan in the last World Cup, and Wapda’s Mohammad Mohsin (853 runs) were snubbed.
“Jaahid has been selected so that he could be groomed,” said a selector.
Fawad Khan, who was the best bowler in both events with 54 wickets, has also been overlooked. Sabih Azhar will be the team coach while Haroon Rasheed will serve as manager.
The selection committee was also not happy with Azhar, who sent congratulatory text messages to players confirming their names despite the team not being officially announced at that time.
Pakistan U19
Babar Azam (c), Sami Aslam, Imamul Haq, Umar Waheed, Azizullah, Mir Hamza, Ehsan Adil, Salman Afridi (wk), Muhammad Nawaz, Syed Faraz Ali, Akhtar Waheed Kiyani, Muhammad Ziaul Haq, Shahid Ilyas, Usman Qadir, Syed Saad Ali and Jaahid Shoukat Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2012.
COMMENTS (9)
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@Shahid: sir i dont agreed with ur comments,as you said as per statics jaahid ali avg is much better then Ahsan Ali,sir once again go to last year Regional Inter District U-19 Tournament 2011-12 on PCB website and chk who has better avg.here is link of Ahsan ALi http://www.pcb.com.pk/players.php?action=viewprofile&playerid=856&pg=&ipp=&playername=ahsan%20ali&fathername=&district=®ion=5&school=&address=&club= and for Jaahid Shoukat Ali plz chk http://www.pcb.com.pk/players.php?action=viewprofile&playerid=854&pg=&ipp=&playername=jaahid&fathername=&district=®ion=5&school=&address=&club=
anyway it is PAKISTAN yahan sub ho sakta ha aur sub chalta ha :)
The exclusion of Ahsan Ali should put the Pakistani team in a better position to hopefully win (fingers crossed) the Asia Cup. He played all matches in the last world cup but his performance was below par in all of them. Due to this, the lower-middle order faced a lot of pressure. Players such as Hammad Azam should be commended for performing well under such pressure. In fact, if our top order had performed well in the last world cup, we could have actually won it! Keeping this in mind, Jaahid is definitely a good choice: he matched Ahsan’s record of 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries in half the number of innings. I looked at the statistics on the PCB website and found that Ahsan has played more matches (which is why he has scored more runs) but Jaahid’s average is much better. Indeed, other talent youngsters, too, should be groomed and given a chance to exhibit their talent in such tournaments so that we can have a team which will win us the upcoming Pakistan U-19 world cup (inshallah). We should wish this team the best of luck and pray for their success.
Shahid Ilyas scored over 600 runs and has took over 20 wickets in the under 19 regional tournament for this season alone. If good new talent is given a chance and can prove its worth, then we should not be complaining as it is for the betterment of Pakistan Cricket.
It seems that the writer/author is not fully aware of ICC regulations, as indeed the PCB website quotes the young gentlemen as 20 years, however regulations state that any player who is born after September 1st 1992 is currently eligible to play in Asian Cup and ICC U19 World Cup.
I kindly request that before certain allegations are made against PCB or indivduals that may tarnish somebody career, full research is undertaken.
I bet most of the players are overage.
my dears it is Pakistan,deserving players always remain behind the screen,only those can be selected whom have strong PERCHI,actually most of the selected players are over aged, not a single player in this selected team is real under 19 player,they all have big shots behind them,it was case of Pakistan under 19 even in zonal team selection there is high class politics involve to let down deserving players,there is no merit even in zonal team selection,so we can pray only B,coz we lived in PAKISTAN
Over aged players help us to perform well at the junior level. But then they diminish when it comes to perform at the senior level... just compare the ratio of our ‘excellent junior players’ with any other country’s players continuing at the senior level.
When will these senseless acts will end by the PCB.... This selection committee is very weak mentally and needs some strengthening:)