Dawn Pakistan's most widely circulated English language newspaper.

Selectors scheduled to meet today

By Our Sports Reporter

27 July 1998


KARACHI, July 26: The newly appointed Pakistan cricket selection committee is scheduled to meet on Monday to finalize a 14-member team for the Commonwealth Games scheduled to held at Kuala Lumpur from Sept 11 to 21.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in Karachi and will be presided over by chief selector Wasim Bari. Other members of the selectorial panel are Salahuddin Ahmad and Shafiq Ahmad. However, it is highly unlikely that the selectors would reach a consensus on the combination of the side as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet made the domestic season's records available to the selectors. Another hitch that the committee faces in convening its meeting is the lack of a formal authorisation by PIA to its officials to serve as National selecter.

The PCB announced the names of the selecters on July 5 but even after a lapse of about three weeks it never occured to the board officials to write a formal letter requesting the head of the PIA to release the two officials for the National duty. Consequently, the national carrier has not issued release orders to Wasim Bari and Salahuddin Ahmad.

``The selectors from PIA have not been stopped by the airline but the Managing Director has reasons to feel uncomfortable about the PCB's action of taking a decision (involving their employees) first and then informing the concerned authorities later,'' the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Khalid Mahmood, said from Lahore.

``He (MD, PIA) also told me that it would be asking for too much from him to retain the people as head of certain sections and also allow them to carry on with other tasks which could creat hurdles in running the respective departments smoothly,'' Mahmood added.

PCB sources said secretary, Waqar Ahmad, was directed to write to PIA about PCB's decision. But he never did. ``Until we get a request in writing, how can we release someone. There is a proper procedure which has to be followed. Verbal information is always informal and institutions don't work like this,'' a PIA spokesman said.

According to informed sources, PCB secretary Waqar Ahmad was requested on Friday to deliver the last season's averages and the statistics of Pakistan's last two tours of Africa and Malaysia to the selectors but till Sunday evening the relevant documents had not been delivered to them.

The selectors feel that the team could only be finalized after studying the domestic records. They feel that every member also requires sometime to do his homework and prepare himself before sitting in meetings. ``One has to develop his suggestions and arguments and that can only be done if one gets sufficient time for it.''

The chairman of selection committee, Wasim Bari, assured a gathering of cricketers here today that his committee would only consider merit while finalizing the National side. He stated that his committee was aware of Pakistan's forthcoming assignments and promised to select the best teams.

Bari, who led Pakistan to England in 1979 and was one of the finest wicketkeepers of his time, however, emphasised on discipline and said his committee would also consider this aspect while picking a player.

He said during his meeting with the PCB chairman (Khalid Mahmood), he suggested that the board should appoint a coach, manager and captain who could impose discipline.

The chairman of the PCB, Khalid Mahmood, said Wasim Bari met him on Saturday to seek guidelines. ``He has been told in clear terms that every player is available for selection and will continue to remain until the PCB probe committee comes to know about an individual's involvement in betting and match-fixing,'' Mahmood said.

``If there would be any alteration in the cricket board's policy, the selection committee will be duly informed,'' added the PCB chairman.

He said Bari was informed that a second Pakistan string should be selected for the Kuala Lumpur event as it clashes with Canada's Sahara Cup. The third edition of the Cup will be played between Sept 12 and 20. ``Traditionally, our best team goes to Canada and the selectors have been informed to retain that tradition,'' he maintained.


Source: Dawn
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Date-stamped : 07 Oct1998 - 04:21