Naqvi assures teams will be selected on merit

Lahore: Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has said that merit will be the only criterion in team selection while there is no room for reference or choice in selection of players from now onwards.

Addressing the Pakistani cricketers participating in the HBL PSL-9 at a local hotel in Rawalpinidi on Tuesday, he said teams will be selected on merit.

Chairman PCB shook hands with every cricketer and interacted with them. He inquired after injured fast bowler Haris Rauf and also spoke to veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik.

”Good players will not have to wait for selection in the team and players who show good performance are our stars,”, he said, adding ups and downs in form were part of the game but PCB would support the players who performed in the domestic circuit.

The Chairman PCB said Pakistan Cricket team was capable of winning the major tournaments but the victory was only possible if the team was united. Naqvi said he wished to bring an end to petty politics within the team and see the eleven players as a well-knit unit.

He said success was inevitable if the 11 players entered the field in unity, adding that there was no shame in defeat if one went down fighting.

“I do not want to indulge in the rights and wrongs of the past, but we must not forget our collective goal is to win for Pakistan,” the Chairman PCB exhorted.

Hinting at improvements in the Players’ remunerations in the Central Contract, the PCB Chairman said one had to make sacrifices for a greater goal, urging the players that Pakistan should come first while money should be the second priority.

“Money will be spent on the cricketers and the PCB does not wish to hold money in its coffers,” Naqvi desired.

On fitness, the PCB boss said fitness of the players will be his main focus. He said New Zealand cricket team will visit Pakistan for a T20I series while the team was to play series against Ireland and England before participating in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean in the coming months.

“Though it was difficult to manage time but a two-week fitness-cum-training camp will be held at Kakul Academy between 25 March and April 8,” he added.

Mohsin Naqvi further said that his doors were open to all the cricketers and they may contact him without hesitation.

The PCB Chief, who recently won acclaim for his development projects as caretaker Chief Minister Punjab, also showed intent to improve existing facilities at cricket academies, adding that stadiums will be upgraded. Naqvi also underlined his plan to build a five-star hotel near Gaddafi Stadium Lahore and National Bank Stadium Karachi.

On hiring new coaching staff, he said the PCB was in touch with the best available coaching staff in the world, adding that new coaching staff would soon be appointed.

Chief Selector Wahab Riaz, Chief Operating Officer (COO) PCB Salman Naseer and other PCB officials were also present on the occasion.