CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Monday hinted surprise changes in the list of probables to be announced later this week for the forthcoming World Cup.

The mega event is scheduled to be held in South Africa in early 2003.

Tauqir said that the board would determine if some senior players who missed the tough series against Australia on medical grounds were genuinely unfit or otherwise.

He warned that if the senior players had avoided facing the Australians deliberately then he would say "good bye" to them.

Veteran fast bowler Wasim Akram and opening batsman Saeed Anwar opted out of the series on pretext of taking rest while middle-order batsmen Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana were unavailable because of fitness problems. However, all four senior players have expressed their availability for next month's tour of Zimbabwe.

PCB chief said that Wasim stayed away citing a shoulder problem as one of the reasons for missing the Test series.

Saeed, meanwhile, never indicated his desire to the PCB about his availability to play against Australia in the absence of some senior players.

Tauqir, whose resignation was not accepted by President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf the patron-in-chief of PCB, in the wake of Pakistan's recent spate of defeats, said that from now on, he would not depend on his advisors and would personally oversee every matter before taking a decision.

To another query, Tauqir said that Shahid Afridi was sent to Sharjah for the third Test against Australia in place of injured all-rounder Abdul Razzaq. But after reaching Sharjah informed that he was not fit to play.

He said that Shoaib Akhtar was the only match-winner bowler available in the current Pakistan side.

Our Sports Reporter adds from Karachi: Pakistan is contemplating having different captains and teams for Tests and One-day Internationals. This proposal was discussed in detail by PCB hierarchy.

In latest developments, team coach Richard Pybus has been asked to fly back with Pakistan squad at the end of series against Australia to give his views on the teams to be named for the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Chairman of selectors, Wasim Bari, and Pakistan 'A' coach Aqib Javed were originally due in Sharjah to discuss the squad with team management. But this plan has now been changed and meeting may take place at Lahore.

PCB has also decided to hold a one-day match before the squad is announced to assess the fitness and form of Wasim, Saeed and Youhana.

Selectors will pick the two teams for this trial game. Other players expected to be invited are fast bowlers Mohammad Zahid, Abdul Rauf, all-rounder Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan and batsman Naved Latif.

Tauqir also held discussions on the revised constitution of PCB, the draft of which is shortly expected to be presented before President Musharraf for approval.

Meanwhile, Tauqir was given detailed briefing about the development projects in progress. PCB chairman asked the general manager developments, Irfan Mirza, to speed up the work since he would like to have underdeveloped stadia ready before the year is out.

© Dawn