LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has called back centrally-contracted players, besides the ones in contention for selection for the World XI series next month, from their ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and English county stints.
Owing to late finalisation and rescheduling of the ICC World XI series to be played mid September, the PCB has scheduled its National T20 Cup to start end August and finish before the World Series so that its national team can leave for UAE to play Sri Lanka starting September 24.
The centrally-contracted players were given permission for participation in the CPL and English county season subject to recall if the World XI series took place mid September, so they are being recalled owing to the changes in schedule brought about due to the change in the original World XI tour of Pakistan plan.
The series has been brought forward to end mid September instead of last week of September because the Punjab government wants it to be held before the NA-120 election on September 17. It can’t be held after September 17 because there is no time to both hold the series and also give national coach Mickey Arthur time for training his team before the series starts with Sri Lanka on September 24.
The players have been asked to report for a pre-series fitness testing/training camp, as planned by the national team management and the National T20 tournament that starts in Multan on August 25.
The players have been asked to report to head coach at the NCA on August 22 for fitness and medical screening followed by participation in the National T20 and preparatory camp under the supervision of Pakistan team management for the World XI series in Lahore.
The National T20 tournament is scheduled to start from August 25-September 10 with 3 day Eid break from September 1 to 3, 2017.
