The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced a new five-person men’s junior selection committee, which will be headed by former international cricketer Saleem Jaffar. The panel also includes three modern day internationals in Arshad Khan, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Taufeeq Umer, while Sanaullah Baloch, who played 27 first-class matches for Quetta between 2001 and 2008, has been retained from the previous panel. The panel will assume charge from July 1 and will be responsible for selecting the youth sides, including Pakistan Under-13, Under-16 and Under-19s. Their first assignment will potentially be the selection of the Pakistan Under-19 for the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup to be played in Sri Lanka in September. The new selection panel has replaced the committee that was headed by Basit Ali which finished its term in May. The average age of the newly-constituted selection committee is 44 years, while it has collectively played 68 Tests, 181 ODIs and two T20Is.
PCB Managing Director Wasim Khan said: “I want to congratulate the new selection panel on their appointment. This is a prestigious assignment as pathway cricket features very high and prominently in the PCB strategy. I am confident that this group will select players who will go on to become future stars of Pakistan cricket. The selection panel is a good blend of experience in Saleem Jaffar and young members in Arshad, Rao, Sanaullah and Taufeeq Umar. Saleem in an immensely respected figure in Pakistan cricket and has been part of a few selection panels in the past. As such, he knows how to manage and conduct meetings and spot the talent, and, as such, he will also prove to be a good mentor and guide for the younger members of the panel to grow in their careers.”
Saleem said: “I am honoured that the PCB has entrusted me with this posting. I look forward to playing my part in the growth and development of junior cricket, as well as providing opportunities to the deserving players so that they can cherish their dreams of representing Pakistan.” Saleem was part of senior selection panel whose selected sides reached the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, and won the Asia Cup 2008 and the ICC T20 World Cup 2009.
About the men’s junior selection committee: Saleem Jaffar – A Level-3 coach who took 36 and 40 wickets in 14 Tests and 39 ODIs, respectively between 1986 and 1992. After retirement, he served as national, departmental, regional coach and selector. He last served as a member of the national selection committee between 2015 and 2016. Saleem Jaffar was also a member of the Pakistan squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 1987.
Arshad Khan – Took 32 and 56 wickets in nine Tests and 58 ODIs, respectively between 1993 and 2006. During his first-class career, he captained Allied Bank and Peshawar sides. He has previous served as a junior selector in 2007 and 2008. He was head coach of Quetta region in 2011-2012, while he worked as Peshawar Zalmi spin bowling coach in HBL PSL 2019.
Rao Iftikhar Anjum – Played one Test, 62 ODIs and two T20Is between 2004 and 2010. In a first-class career from 1999 to 2015, he took 523 wickets. He coached ZTBL in the 20015-2016 season and is presently fast bowling consultant at the National Cricket Academy.
Taufeeq Umer – Scored 2,963 runs in 44 Tests and 504 runs in 22 ODIs between 2001 and 2014. First of his seven Test centuries was on his debut against Bangladesh in Multan. In 177 first-class matches, he scored 10,598 runs at an average of 36.41.
Sanaullah Baloch – Has been retained in the junior selection committee after having worked under Basit Ali’s panel from 2017 to 2019. He also served as regional and women’s selector from the Quetta region. In 27 first-class matches from 2001 to 2009, he scored 550 runs.