Pakistan’s preliminary World Cup squad is likely to be finalized today
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board (PCB) and the selection committee will be at loggerheads today (Wednesday) as they seek to name a 30-man provisional squad for the 2011 World Cup, sources in the Board claimed.
The national selectors, headed by chief selector Moin Khan will be meeting in Lahore to finalize a preliminary squad for the World Cup which is scheduled to begin from February 19th in the Subcontinent.
This would be a daunting task for Khan and company as half of the notable players are either suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) or has been barred for consideration by the ICC. Some of the players are under scrutiny
for their indifferent form, therefore the meeting is likely to carry on throughout the day.
There were early signs of a fallout between the selectors over the limited number of options available. A prefatory meeting of the national selection committee took place on Tuesday, December 15th at the Gaddafi Stadium
in Lahore where one of the selection committee members decided to walk out of the meeting apparently because of differences over drafting the 30-man list.
A local news channel reported that Mohammad Ilyas, one of the selectors in the committee, showed his displeasure and annoyance when the selectors were discussing the prospect of selecting Fawad Alam and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahzaib-Hasan-c2488, both hailing
from Karachi for the preliminary squad for the World Cup.
Ilyas was apparently fuming as he left the stadium within minutes of the start of the meeting as the selectors snubbed the inclusion of Imran Farhat, who is the former Test player’s son-in-law. Ilyas had earlier criticized the
selector’s decision to overlook Farhat for the upcoming tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 which is scheduled to start from December 26th.
Ilyas had openly launched a barrage of indignation against the selectors as he opposed Fawad’s inclusion in the Twenty20 squad against the Black Caps. He later submitted his resignation to PCB chairman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128.
Butt, however did not accept his application and asked the selector to carry on as the PCB chairman will be chairing today’s meeting. According to a source, Ilyas will be attending today’s meeting.
The national selectors are also likely to name a final squad for the One Day series against New Zealand that is scheduled to begin from January 22nd. The squad for the ODI would likely be reflecting the squad for the
World Cup 2011 depending on the performance and the players’ form in the ODI series.
Moin http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319 earlier said that the selectors will try their best to pick a “balanced” pool of players for the World Cup saying that even though some players are unavailable they will try to “come out with a strong team for the World
Cup.”
Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, and Mohammad Aamir having been suspended by the ICC have been ruled out altogether whereas the ICC has also directed the PCB to not consider former captain Shoaib Malik, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and
leg spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314 because of their suspected links with match-fixers.
Pakistani captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 had called upon the PCB and the selection committee to at least name a preliminary squad so that the players can focus on the World Cup preparations.
Given the limited options available for the selectors, the PCB and the national selection committee will be taking their time in naming the 30 man squad for the New Zealand tour and the World Cup.
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