Daily Times

Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday announced an all-powerful seven-member selection committee for the Men’s national, U-19 and Pakistan Shaheens cricket teams, and with the mandate to pick the team captains.

Addressing a press conference at the PCB headquarters at Gaddafi Stadium, he said no chief selector had been appointed to the selection committee comprising former test cricketers Muhammad Yousaf, Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, team captain, team head coach and a data analyst, adding that one two coordinators will also be appointed but they will not have a vote on the committee. The data analyst will provide the members with insightful statistics and data to help in team selection.

Justifying the logic behind absence of chief selector in the committee, Mohsin Naqvi said that all members would enjoy equal powers in the committee and the majority decision would prevail. He said the selection committee would take all decisions regarding team selection, appointment of captain and other professional affairs.

Defending his decision to pick comparatively recently retired test cricketers, the chairman said: “I personally believe these cricketers are more familiar with the current players than the cricket greats who retired some two decades ago. I believe this is the best of the best group of selectors in the present scenario.”

The PCB chairman also announced doing away with the previous practice of picking the team captain as chairman, adding that the selection committee would select captain of the cricket team. He said he believed the former cricketers were better placed to decide on the matter of appointment of team captain rather than the chairman PCB. “I am management man and I will take administrative decisions for betterment of the PCB, but the selection of a captain should be left to the professionals,” he added.

The PCB chairman dispelled the impression that team captain’s inclusion in selection committee would raise conflict of interest issue, adding that the captain must have a say in selection of the team, as he is to lead the team and account for results, adding that consultation is not enough and the captain must have full say in the selection of the team.

About appointment of the team captain, Naqvi said that the team captain for the national T20 team would be picked by the selection committee by the end of the team’s fitness camp, starting from March 25 (tomorrow). He said that the new captain would be appointed for a long tenure.

Naqvi said that the PCB was negotiating with the foreign coaches and a dream coaching panel comprising foreign and local coaches would be finalised and details would be shared with the media and Pakistan cricket fans shortly.

Naqvi said Imad Wasim had been invited to play the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the United States and the Caribbean, adding that No Objection Certificate (NOC) for foreign leagues had not come under discussion with the veteran all-rounder.

About Haris Rauf, the PCB chairman said his Central Contract had been restored after a satisfactory response from the ace fast bowler, adding that the PCB was concerned about his shoulder injury, but it would be taken care of well. However, he stressed to implement the PCB policy of no more than two NOCs for foreign leagues.

To a query, he said that the PCB coffers would be opened for the players and the development of infrastructure, adding that he did not believe in keeping money in the banks for profit. He said the Gaddafi Stadium, Pindi Stadium and National Bank Stadium Karachi would be revamped in preparations for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 to be held in Pakistan.

To a query, the PCB chairman was confident that the Champions Trophy 2025 would be held in Pakistan and said the Board was doing what was required to ensure a successful Champions Trophy event in Pakistan. He said he did not have a magic wand to make the teams reach the ICC top rankings, adding that he would work with honesty and dedication to make the team reach top of the world.

Naqvi, responding to a query, said the PCB COO Slaman Naseer was working diligently on the Pakistan Super League (SPL) for Women besides weighing the possibilities of raising the number of franchise teams to eight in the next edition of the HBL PSL. Without disclosing his plans, the PCB chairman promised that a lot was being done behind the doors for promotion of Women’s cricket in Pakistan.