Ramiz Raja, who captained the team in the Independence Cup in India, has been retained as captain and Saeed Anwar, who created a world record in one-day international matches by hitting the highest individual knock of 194 against India, will continue to be the vice-captain of the side. Former Test star Zaheer Abbas will accompany the team as manager, Aamir Hayat Rokari as associate manager and Haroon Rashid as coach.
The Pakistan team will leave here for Karachi on July 9 (Wednesday) morning and from there fly to Colombo on July 10. Four teams participating in the competition, which gets under way on July 14 are: Pakistan, the host Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Majid Khan, in his Press briefing soon after the Council meeting said that the PCB Council approved the report of the disciplinary committee to finish the case of Aamir Sohail as he had paid the fine and also tendered ``unconditional apology''. Aamir did not provide any evidence in support of his accusations of match-fixing and betting against his team-mates and requested to close the case. The National Selection Committee, which met on Friday afternoon with Salim Altaf in the chair and Zaheer Abbas and Haroon Rashid taking part in the deliberations, had decided to include Aamir Sohail in the team. The PCB Council did not object to inclusion of any player in the team including Aamir Sohail and endorsed committee's decision. It also gave approval to the appointment of the above-mentioned officials.
``In order to probe into any sort of allegations pertaining to cricket or cricketers, the Council appointed a committee with Justice Ijaz Yousaf as its convenor. Its members are Mian Munir (Okara), Khalid Mahmood (LCCA) and Waqar Ahmad'', said Majid Khan.
The 14-member Pakistan cricket team has four openers. Besides the three experienced players Ramiz Raja, Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail, it also has the belligerent hitter like Shahid Afridi. The last-named would also strengthen the spin bowling in his capacity as a right-arm leg-spinner. Because of the turning pitches of Sri Lanka, the national selectors have made the department of spin-bowling very strong. Aamir Sohail is also a fine left-arm spinner. The team also has off-break bowlers Saqlain Mushtaq (who would be flying straight from England, where he is playing for Surrey, to Colombo) and Arshad Khan. It also has the left-arm spinner Muhammad Husain.
The team includes three pacemen. The experienced Aqib Javed will be supported by the young right-arm medium-fast bowler Shahid Nazir and the left-arm medium-fast bowler Kabir Khan, who has also been re-inducted into the team. The pacemen lack the class and pace of stalwarts like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis but can play their role in the side. Moin Khan is the only wicketkeeper of the team who is also a reliable batsman.
The middle-order batting also looks formidable. It has the experienced old horses like Salim Malik and Inzamam-ul-Haq and a talented teenager Hasan Raza. The last-named will be temporarily leaving the Pakistan ``A'' team now touring Britain and coming over to Colombo to play in the Asia Cup Cricket Tournament before flying back to re-join the side. The team is not very strong in bowling but has a good batting line-up, although it will miss the in-form player like Ejaz Ahmad Senior. Still, it has the capacity to do well in Sri Lanka.
The full contingent is: Captain Ramiz Raja, vice-captain Saeed Anwar, Salim Malik, Aamir Sohail, Shahid Afridi, Inzimam-ul-Haq, Hasan Raza, Moin Khan, Arshad Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Muhammad Husain, Aqib Javed, Kabir Khan, Shahid Nazir. Manager: Zaheer Abbas, Associate manager: Aamir Hayat Rokari. Coach: Haroon Rashid.
The PCB Council meeting was presided over by the chairman Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah Bokhari and attended by all the nine members. Majid Khan said that a new National Under-19 Selection Committee had also been formed by the Council. Chief selector Salim Altaf would also be heading the committee. It included Azhar Khan, Farrukh Zaman, Abdul Raqeeb and Qasim Baloch.
A new pattern of domestic cricket is being introduced from the coming season in October. The Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, Patron's Trophy and the National Under-19 Cricket Championship Grade One matches will be organised side-by-side. All the teams of the country will play matches during six months. Even the programme of Tests and international one-day matches will be run simultaneously without disrupting the domestic competitions. The Wills Cup Cricket Tournament of one-day matches is expected to be held in March or April next year.
Majid Khan said that Haroon Rashid would continue to serve as a national selector. He also confirmed that the appointment of the Haroon Rashid has also been formally approved and regularised by the PCB Council.