The national selection committee had given names of 16 players out of which 14 were supposed to form the team. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) top two officials said on Wednesday evening that they were still waiting for finalisation of the team by the selectors.

PCB chief executive Majid Khan told Dawn that out of the 16 players submitted by the selectors, authorities of Surrey county have intimated that Test off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq could only be released for the Sahara Cup matches against India to be played from Sept 13 onwards. That meant Saqlain would have to miss the first couple of matches of the series.

Secretary Waqar Ahmad also confirmed that the secretary of Surrey county had informed the PCB about late availability of Saqlain Mushtaq. Chief selector Wasim Bari had also been intimated accordingly.

While replying to a question from Waqar Ahmad said that as for as he knew, the selection committee had not been able to contact Waqar Younis, who had gone to Saudi Arabia along with his family to perform Umra. The selectors had picked him conditionally because he was reported to be having some problem in his right elbow.

When asked about approval of the team by the PCB council, Majid Khan said:

``Until and unless the selectors finally choose the 14 players, the council members cannot give their approval''.

A reliable source has also indicated on the condition of anonymity that the Senate's standing committee on sports, culture and tourism headed by Justice Javed Iqbal had asked the PCB not to consider the names of three players about whom the Probe committee headed by Justice Ijaz Yousaf had expressed suspicions of being involved in match-fixing and betting. Two players out of those three have been included in the 16 picked by the selectors. This further complicates the finalisation of the 14-member Pakistan senior cricket team for the Sahara Cup!