A meeting on the cricket affairs, discussing the performance of the Pakistan Team in recent events was held on Saturday under the chairmanship of Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, Chairman PCB.

Senior officials of the Board including Chairman Selection Committee, Wasim Bari attended the lengthy meeting lasting the whole day.

GM Cricket Operations, Zakir Khan, discussed the recent Triangular Tournament in Kenya and gave a full and comprehensive report on the event. Expressing satisfaction on the conduct of the tournament, the meeting conveyed its gratitude to the Kenya Cricket Association for assisting us in organizing the tournament successfully. It also put on record, our gratitude to the Pakistan State Oil, for sponsoring the home series and to TWI for assisting in organizing and marketing of the event. PCB did not make a loss on this tournament, the meeting was informed. However, if there is a profit, it will be small and minimal.

Chairman Selection Committee was also part of the meeting for some time and gave a resume of his opinion and that of his fellow selectors about the overall performance of the Pakistan players in the recent events. The Chief Selector also submitted a list of probables who may be considered for the forthcoming home Test series against Australia. The list submitted to the Chairman PCB, will be finalized, after he receives a report of the Manager, Coach and Doctor of the team as well as detailed opinion of all the selectors.

The meeting expressed its gratitude to Aqib Javed, for his services, as he has resigned from the Selection Committee, to devote full time to the Junior Team and the Academy. Mohsin Khan has been appointed as the Batting Coach for the Academy. The 3-member National Selection Committee, will now consist of Wasim Bari (Chairman), Shafiq Ahmed (Member) and Abdul Raquib (Member).

The coach of the Pakistan team, Mudassar Nazar, is being invited to give his views and discuss the performance of the Pakistan side with the Chairman.

The meeting also discussed arrangements for the forthcoming Test series between Pakistan and Australia, in which one test will be played at Colombo and two tests at Sharjah.

The various Committees will also be reorganized in view of the movement of some of the members. The composition of the new Committees will be announced shortly. The Chairman PCB will also be holding a meeting with some former senior players regarding the performance of the Pakistan Team and also the future of the Pakistan Cricket in general.

The working of the National Cricket Academy and the Regional Cricket Academies was also discussed at the meeting.

The probables who will be considered for the test squad, will be finalized after the above reports have been received by the Chairman, from Team officials and selectors. These include the following:
1. Saqlain Mushtaq
2. Taufeeq Umar
3. Imran Farhat
4. Faisal Iqbal
5. Mohammad Zahid
6. Danish Kaneria
7. Moin Khan
8. Misbah-ul-Haq

Those players who are not already in Pakistan side for the matches against Sri Lanka 'A' will be included after the approval of the Selection Committee so that they can get match practice.

Khalid Butt
Media Manager
Rawalpindi, 14 Sept 2002

© PCB