LAHORE - A majority of Lahore cricket organisers have termed the selection of six Lahore teams in the jurisdiction of Central Punjab as totally unfair, poor and ‘sifarshi’.
Abid Hussain, a former media manager and president Khizra Club, speaking on behalf of the organizers, said that it has been observed that so many ineligible and ‘sifarshi’ players have been selected in six teams of East, North and West Zone City Cricket Associations Lahore by the selection committee of PCB headed by Shahid Anwer head coach/chief selector of Central Punjab Cricket Association.
The former LRCA spokesman pointed out that sons of former Test cricketers like Ibtisam-ul-Haq (Inzimam-ul-Haq son), Haider Rameez Raja (Rameez Raja son), Shafay Malik (Saleem Malik son) and Ali Manzoor (Manzoor Elahi son) has been selected without any recent past performance. Similarly, Zeeshan Akram (Akram Raza son), Daniyal Rana (Mansoor Rana son) and Numan Azhar (whose elder brother is employee in PCB) have also been selected due to strong connections in the PCB.
It is important to mention here that Akram Raza is head coach of Second XI cricket team of Central Punjab at the moment while Mansoor Rana is manager national cricket team and they are using their influence in selection process.
Abid added that many such players have also been inducted in squads, who have not been playing proper cricket for last 10 years like Asif Ghafoor, Khawaja M Wasif, Bilawal Rana, Muazam Hayat etc. He added that there is no check and balance over selection made by the coaches, who selected the teams just on the basis of favoritism and connections.
All provincial interim boards have become totally dummy and have failed to appoint local selectors in the concerned Cricket Associations’ trials. On other hand, the PCB coaches are enjoying all the powers of selectors but surprisingly, they are not accountable for poor selection or team results for last three years.
Abid has appealed to PCB Patron Imran Khan and Chairman Ehsan Mani to order fair inquiry over poor selection of East, North and West Zone Lahore teams immediately and take necessary action against the culprits, who are involved in this poor selection. He suggested that matter should be referred to Anti Corruption Department PCB for transparent inquiry because the domestic department hasn’t ability to inquire the matter transparently. Abid also demanded retrials of six Lahore teams.