The selection committee this time around comprises a heavyweight panel as compared to recent times where former players with only a couple of matches under their belt were inducted. FILE EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced five new names to complete the selection committee that will be headed by Moin Khan — swapping Mohammad Akram’s role as the national team’s bowling coach with that of selector and head coach for the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Apart from Akram, the selection committee members include former Test player Shoaib Mohammad, who was recently relieved from his position as fielding coach, former wicket-keeper Saleem Yousuf, Ijaz Ahmed – who is also a fielding coach for the NCA – and ZTBL head coach and 1999 world cup participant Wajahatullah Wasti.
Moin, who was recently awarded the dual role of chief selector and manager for the national team, went onto select a heavyweight panel as compared to recent times where former players who played just a single or few matches for Pakistan were in the selection committee.
“The PCB is pleased to announce the appointment of Saleem Yousuf, Shoaib Mohammad, Ijaz Ahmed, Wajahatullah Wasti and Mohammad Akram [former bowling coach Pakistan cricket team and newly appointed head coach NCA] as members of the national selection committee headed by former Test captain Moin Khan,” stated an official PCB press release.
“The board has announced a six-member selection committee comprising the best cricketing talent available on a representative basis.”
Shoaib looking forward to new role
Shoaib said that he is looking forward to work the new role as it would be a different challenge for him.
“This is a surprise call for me as I wasn’t expecting it, but now that I’ve been trusted with the responsibility of a selector, I will try to do justice to my new role,” Shoaib, son of legendary batsman Hanif Mohammad, told The Express Tribune.
“The time I spent with PIA in the domestic circuit for the last couple of years will be of great help as I have been closely following what has been happening in the domestic and international level for Pakistan.”
‘Statistics will not be the only criteria’
The 53-year-old Shoaib has represented Pakistan in 45 Tests, having scored 2705 runs at an average of 44.34 with seven centuries to his credit.
He has been very vocal in recent times, stating that players should not only be selected by looking at the statistics, believing that selectors needed to look at the conditions in which they have excelled.
Now that he is a part of the newly formed selection committee, he has stressed that the number of runs and wickets would not be the only criterion.
“We’ll look at the finer details, analysing where a bowler and batsman has performed, what were the conditions, who the opposition was. All these minor details will be taken into account because we’ve got a strong selection committee which can work on these things and stress their opinions during selection.
“I believe that the most competitive cricket in Pakistan is among departments; regional cricket cannot be given much importance as the play is hardly spirited. It’s more like good club cricket but does not meet the high standards of first-class competition. This is why players perform in a more relaxed manner there and then struggle in departmental cricket.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 25th, 2014.
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Shut down the PCB entirely and give the same funding to football and hockey I say
I just got one thing to do: Hahahahahahahahahaha! :S