No experiments with the squads, says chief selector

Qasim rules out wholesale changes to team for the tour.


Fawad Hussain November 28, 2012

KARACHI: It seems the youngsters will have to wait a bit longer before their dreams of representing Pakistan become reality – the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief selector Iqbal Qasim has ruled out making wholesale changes in the squads for the tour of India that starts next month.

The selection committee will finalise the squads after the National Twenty20 Cup that runs in Lahore from December 1 to 9.

Given the tough opposition and the stakes on offer, Qasim confirmed that the selection committee will refrain from experimenting in the short series.

“We will not be going all-out with our experiments with the team,” the chief selector told The Express Tribune. “We cannot afford to add too many rookies for tough oppositions like India or South Africa. We will make calculated decisions since India will be very tough to beat at home.”

However, the chief selector was quick to add that a new player may get a chance for the important assignment on the basis of an extra-ordinary performance in the upcoming  domestic Twenty20 event.

“It’s not that we’ll overlook the performance of youngsters. A player who impresses may get a chance.”

‘Bowlers need to shine in India’

Qasim, the former Test spinner, added that Pakistan bowlers, especially the slower ones, will be needed to perform well in order to help the team get the desired results.

“Bowlers are required to shine in order for us to beat India on their home soil. India have a strong batting line-up which is even better at home.

Iqbal Qasim
If we manage to contain their batsmen with good bowling performances then we stand a good chance of achieving good results in the series. Otherwise, it will become a very tough series for us.”

The chief selector added that it will be a mistake to completely rely on ace spinner Saeed Ajmal.

“Ajmal is our key bowler and he is in good form too. We expect him to perform but he will need support from other spinners too. Every bowler will have to pitch in.”

Bari reminds players to stay focused 

Meanwhile, PCB’s Director Education Wasim Bari said that the players will have to be focused on the job at hand while in India.

“The team will come across much gloss in India but it must ignore it,” the former captain, who is at the helm of educating players against corruption, said in a press conference yesterday.
“And it’s not just the players but all members of the team, including the support staff, have to be careful and they should focus on their jobs.”

The former Test cricketer, meanwhile, said that Pakistan will have a good chance of winning against India if the players play ‘professionally’.

The tour starts with the first Twenty20 International on December 25.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2012.

COMMENTS (3)

FAWAD MUSTAFA | 11 years ago | Reply

I lthink Nasir Jamshed is a better player than Taufiq Umer besides it will be a good experience for the young lad, just imagine if he clicks in India it will be a great thing for Pakistan cricket.He has the potantial and should not be disappointed.

Zeeshan | 11 years ago | Reply

Replace Samy with Ehsan Adil who is in the form of this life. It is right time to inject him in the national team.

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