Bayazid Ahmad Khan (son of PCB chief executive Majid Khan), who represented Pakistan team in the first Junior World Cricket Cup in Britain and later played for the Pakistan under-19 team against visiting sides, has been appointed captain of the team.
Hasan Raza, who gained a place in cricket history by playing a Test at Faisalabad at the youngest age, will be the vice-captain of the team. Former Test opener Talaat Ali Malik will accompany the team as Manager-cum-Coach while Masood-ul-Hasan as Assistant Manager. While announcing names of the team-members, PCB secretary Waqar Ahmad said on Wednesday evening that Shahid Afridi, despite being picked by the selection committee, has been dropped by the PCB Council on disciplinary ground.
``Case of pinch-hitter Shahid Afridi and left-arm Test spinner Muhammad Husain has been referred to Disciplinary Committee for going to Bangladesh without getting permission from the PCB. The board has also faxed a message to Bangladesh Cricket Control Board (BCCB) inquiring how and why the two players are playing in that country,'' said Waqar Ahmad. The PCB secretary said that name of another player Fazale Akbar (a paceman from Peshawar who represented Pakistan junior sides within the country and abroad), despite being recommended by the selection committee, has been dropped by the Council.
``He was found to be overage and that is the reason for his ouster from the team,'' added Waqar Ahmad.
The PCB Council has asked the selection committee to name two players in the 15-member side in place of the dropped cricketers Shahid Afridi and Fazale Akbar. The Junior Selection Committee is headed by Salim Altaf and includes Test player Azhar Khan, Farrukh Zaman (Peshawar), Abdul Raquib and Dr Qasim Baloch (Balochistan).
While replying to a question from this reporter, selector Azhar Khan said that names of the two players, who willsubstitute Shahid Afridi and Fazale Akbar would be submitted to the PCB as soon as a contact is established with the chief selector Salim Altaf, who is in Rawalpindi these days to watch performance of the players during the four-day match against the West Indies. Salim Altaf also heads the National Selection Committee, which will name the Pakistan senior team for the first Test to be played against he West Indies at Peshawar from Nov 17. The boys picked for the team have been asked to report for a short-duration camp at the Qadhafi Stadium on Nov 14 (Friday).
Majority of the other 13 players picked for the Pakistan under-19 team tour of Australia are those who have either played in the First Junior World Cricket Cup in Britain or represented the Pakistan under-19 side in unofficial Tests at home or abroad.
The team is: Captain Bayazid Khan, Vice-captain Hasan Raza, Shoaib Malik, Imran Tahir, Abdul Razzaq, Irfan Fazil, Jan Nisar Khan, Inam-ul-Haq, Saeed Bin Nasir, Kashif Siddique, Hafiz Majid, Usman Tariq, Ahmad Zeeshan Malik.
Factfile of Under-19 captain: Bayazid Khan made his first-class debut on Tuesday against the West Indies at the KRL ground. Before that, he had just played three National Junior Cup matches. In 1995-96, he played in one game and went to England with the Pakistan Under-14 side. This season, he scored a century and one innings of 30 odd for Lahore.
Following is the tour programme of Pakistan's under-19 cricket team in Australia:
Nov 20: Departure for Australia.
Nov 26: First Youth One-day International at the Albert Ground, Melbourne.
Nov 27: Second Youth One-day International at the Albert Ground, Melbourne.
Nov 29: Third Youth One-day International at Deakin Reserve ground in Shepparton.
Nov 30: Fourth Youth One-day International at Gardens Oval in Benalla.
Dec 3: Fifth Youth One-day International at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Dec 6 to 9: First Youth 'Test' at Manuka Oval, Canberra.
Dec 12 to 15: Second Youth 'Test' at Newcastle.
Dec 18 to 21: Third Youth 'Test' at Toowoomba/Brisbane.
Dec 22: Departure for Pakistan.