PCB constitutes independent panel to review cricket association sides
The independent panel will finalise 32 players for each association.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Cricket Board, as part of an agreed process, has constituted a three-member independent panel of experts to review and finalise the six cricket association sides that will participate in the upcoming domestic cricket season 2019-20.
The three-member panel comprises Misbahul Haq, Nadeem Khan and Rashid Latif, which will meet at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday after which the six teams will be announced next week with details to follow in due course.
The provisional sides were prepared by Tauseef Ahmed, Wajahatullah Wasti, Wasim Haider (all members of former selection committee), Saleem Jaffer, Arshad Khan, Rao Iftikhar, Taufeeq Umer (all members of junior selection committee) and Akram Raza, Azam Khan, Ijaz Ahmed Junior and Raj Hans, who had taken into consideration the performances of the players in the previous season and their future prospects.
The independent panel will finalise 32 players for each association – who will be offered domestic contracts by the PCB for a 12-month period – and recommend names of the captains for the first and second XIs.
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said that the PCB has constituted a panel of highly respected cricketers to assess and review the balance, composition and strength of the six sides to ensure there remain no gaps. The knowledge, expertise and experience of these three cricketers with regards to domestic cricket is second to none as they are actively involved in the process in one way or another.
He said: “With the void of a current national selection committee, the PCB drew on the knowledge of former national selectors, the current junior selection committee and coaches to select the provisional squads. To ensure we are ready for the start of the new season in September, this initial process was required to ensure we keep moving forward positively in the interim period until the cricket associations are fully operational and functional.”
Wasim Khan said, “Bringing in an expert independent three-member panel to critique and sense check the provisional player lists will support our ongoing pledge to remove any claims of nepotism or favoritism through a merit based and transparent process.”
The PCB chief executive said, “I want to thank all members for their hard work in putting together provisional squads and confident that the critical and objective review by the independent experts will further enhance and strengthen the integrity and credibility of the teams, the PCB and its domestic events.”
On the other hand, Rashid Latif said that he was thankful to the PCB for considering me for this important assignment and look forward to making a meaningful contribution in consultation with my other respected colleagues.
He said that we all need to see a highly competitive and strong domestic cricket structure, in which there should be cut-throat competition. This is the only way we will be able to narrow the gap with international cricket and, in this relation, selection of players and team combinations is a critical element to that objective.
Latif said: “Pakistan boasts some very exciting and talented cricketers and we will try our best to provide a good and equal balance across all sides so that every match counts and each performance is valued.”
The cricket associations will participate in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class competition, National T20 Cup and Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament. The 2019-20 season will run from 12 September to 24 April.
