Selectors meet to finalise squad today

KARACHI - PCB selection committee headed by former Test batsman Mohsin Hasan Khan will meet here today (Sunday) to finalize Pakistan team for home series against Sri Lanka that will be played at the neutral venues in the UAE. M Ilyas and Azher Khan other two members of the three member committee have reached Karachi on Saturday for the meeting. According to information gathered here the committee is expected to finalize the team for the approval of the PCB chairman Ejaz Butt who is expected to reach here some time Saturday night from Hong Kong. However whether the team picked up by the committee would be announced today (Sunday) was not clear. A selector said they would select the team and it would be up to the PCB to allow the committee to announce the team immediately after the meeting or make the announcement itself whenever they like in next few days. However the chances are that the PCB may advise the committee to name the team after the meeting. In the meantime it has been learnt that a special PCB committee set up to recommend names for appointment of a coach for Pakistan team, that met here on Thursday would convey the five names to the chairman PCB for naming the coach of Pakistan team. The committee picked five from a list of 37 who had applied for the job. As many as 25 were Pakistanis in the list of 37 who had applied for consideration for the coaching assignment. It is expected that the head of the committee Intekhab Alam will give the five names to the PCB chairman who is final authority to pick one of the five as national team coach. Pakistan cricket team needed a new coach after former test pacer Waqar Younis citing personal/health reasons informed the PCB that he was leaving the job after recent Zimbabwe tour. Chairman of the PCB is expected to witness the final of the faysalbank T20 cup here on Sunday. He may also award a shield to Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar who has been for the third year running named best ICC umpire of the year. APP adds: Pakistan's bowling trio of pacemen Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and spinner Abdul Rehman is all set to return to the team as the 16-member Pakistan Test squad is being named in a day or two, it was learnt here on Saturday. Both Umar and Wahab with Rehman were rested for the tour to Zimbabwe. Selection committee headed by Mohsin Khan under went discussions with other members of the selection committee which also included M Ilyas and Azhar Khan. Asif Baloch and Farrukh Zaman are co-opted members of the selection committee. Selectors may also be discussing the selection of the team with captain Misbah and get his consent.