Pakistan Cricket Board names 5 Players as Reserve for WC
'Pakistan Times' Sports Desk

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday named Mohammad Sami, Shahid Nazir, Azhar Mahmood, Salman Butt and Zulqarnain Haider as reserve for the ICC World Cup.

A spokesman of the PCB said here that these players will be available in case replacements are required.

“In reserve players we have pace bowlers, all rounder, batsmen and wicket keeper”, he said.

Sarfaraz on Squad

'Pakistan Times' Federal Bureau adds from Islamabad; Pakistani cricket squad is not capable of showing good performance in the World Cup, to be held in West Indies next month.

Former Test cricketer and star pacer Sarfaraz Nawaz expressed these views in a brief chat with APP on Thursday.

Expressing his dissatisfaction over the newly formed national cricket team, he said Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should have adopted pragmatic approach in picking up the boys for the most prestigious cricket event of the world.

“Conducting a nation-wide talent hunt programme would have been the only way to come up with a team strong enough to give tough time to the opponents in the World Cup”, he said.

Sarfaraz Nawaz said PCB should have arranged training camps across the country to find players of substance. “Waqar Younas should be given responsibility to train the bowlers in the training camps”, he said.

Asim Kamal and Misbahul Haq can perform well as middle order batsmen whereas Salman Butt is a good opener, but all of them were ignored, Sarfaraz said.

He also criticized Inzamam’s decision to change his batting order and suggested that he should play higher in the order.

Showing his skepticism about fielding, Sarfaraz Nawaz said Pakistan team has to concentrate on fitness and the players should be put under strenuous training in this department.●