Selectors split over World Cup squad

Ilyas walks out after differences with chief selector Mohsin Khan over players' inclusion.

KARACHI: The Pakistan selection committee’s meeting to finalise players for the World Cup’s preliminary squad and the One-Day Internationals (ODI) for the New Zealand tour begun with a spat.

The two-day selection committee meeting that started yesterday under chief selector Mohsin Khan saw disagreement on the selection of some players and soon witnessed a walk-out by selector Mohammad Illyas after an argument with the chief selector.

According to the details, Ilyas objected on the selection of a few players in the ODI squad which he believed do not deserve a place for the format.

“Ilyas had an argument over the inclusion of certain players including Fawad Alam and Shahzaib Hasan in the squad,” a member of the committee told The Express Tribune. “He argued that both players had been given enough chances which they didn’t avail and left the meeting following an exchange of words with Khan.”

Illyas, a few days ago, resigned as selector when Alam was named in the Twenty20 squad for the tour of New Zealand. However, he reversed his decision after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt refused to accept his resignation. Ilyas, however, confirmed that he will be attending today’s meeting.

Meanwhile, a PCB official said that the selector contacted a board official to protest his case in the absence of the chairman who was in Bangladesh for the Asian Cricket Council meeting.

“Ilyas has contacted the board’s officials but was told to speak to the PCB chairman to discuss the issue. “He will now meet him and give his version.”

Khan, meanwhile, decided against commenting on the issue.

Squads to be finalised today

The chief selector said the committee discussed various options on the first day of the meeting saying that the final list of 30 players for the World Cup’s preliminary squad would be finalised today.

“We are yet to finalise the squad which we will following the second day of meeting today,” said Khan who has already met captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis to discuss the selection.

“I have already taken versions of the coach and the captain. The team would be selected with the consent of the selection committee and the team management,” said the chief selector who refrained from giving the exact announcement time.

“We can announce the team anytime after getting approval by the PCB chairman.”

Meanwhile, according to a PCB official the preliminary squad for World Cup will be announced today while the selectors may hold announcement of the ODI squad for New Zealand. The ICC has set December 19 as deadline to send initial squad for the World Cup.

PCB chief rules out China as neutral venue

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt has ruled out the possibility of holding a home series in China. He said the country that held the Asian Games this year is not ready to host international cricket.

“It is not possible to play our home series in China in the near future,” Butt, who returned from Bangladesh after attending the Asian Cricket Council meeting, told reporters at the Karachi airport.

“Various things come under consideration when it comes to international cricket. China need time to establish infrastructure of international standards.”

The chairman also dismissed the notion of differences with the Bangladesh board. “We have no issues with them, in fact they have promised to send their team sometime next year.

“We are also in talks with other boards. Hopefully international cricket will soon return to Pakistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2010.