Pakistan probables named for Test series against Sri Lanka

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee has here on Tuesday announced the names of 22 probable players for the forthcoming two-Test home series against Sri Lanka.

The meeting, presided over by chief selector Abdul Qadir, was also attended by the national team’s coach Intikhab Alam and newly-appointed captain Younus Khan besides the members of the selection committee.

The 22 selected probable players will report at the camp to be held in Karachi from February 15.

Younus Khan ahs been appointed captain of the team while former captain Shoaib Malik has also been included in the squad. Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been ruled out due to injury.

Other players are: Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Khurram Manzoor, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Fawad Alam, Bazid Khan, Saeed Bin Nasir, Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Arafat, Danish Kaneria, Shahid Khan Afridi, Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Sohail Khan, Abdul Rauf and Saeed Ajmal.

Besides, Kamran Akmal and Sarfaraz Ahmed have been included in the team as wicketkeepers.

As per Abdul Qadir, fitness and performance of the probables will be reviewed in the camp and later the final team will be announced.

Younis will get 'enough room' - Qadir

Abdul Qadir, Pakistan's chief selector, says new captain Younis Khan will be given "enough room" in selection matters. Disagreements between the selectors and team management have been an issue in the past few years, but Qadir says he doesn't mind involving the captain and coach as long as the "best team is selected".

Qadir said Younis, who took over from Shoaib Malik last month, will be consulted along with coach Intikhab Alam.

"We will give Younis enough room,"

Qadir told the News.

"As captain, he is our general in the field and should have a say in selection matters.

"We are all on the same side, aren't we,"

he said.

"All of us are working to ensure that Pakistan give their best on the field and that target can only be achieved if we work together."

During the recent series against Sri Lanka, the team management had been given the final say in selecting the playing XI.

Qadir said a provisional squad of 20 to 25 players will be announced later this week for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins on February 22. He said he had taken inputs from the other selectors - Saleem Jaffer and Shoaib Mohammad - and Alam. Batsman Faisal Iqbal and allrounder Fawad Alam are likely to be named in the provisional squad. Qadir said players on the youngsters would be given a chance in the two-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka prior to the Tests.

Pakistan will also conduct a pre-Tests camp from February 14 in Karachi.

"I won't even call it a camp,"

he.

"It would be more like a get-together of the players. It will give them and the team officials a chance to sit down and plan for the series."

Pakistan were shot out for 75 in their embarrassing defeat in the third ODI in Lahore, and Qadir said they needed to plan against an attack that includes Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.

"We will have to devise strategies to face their bowlers, who are very good and to tackle their world-class batsmen,"

he said.

"We want to select a strong squad for the Tests and I'm confident we will do that."

Abdul Qadir made national cricket chief selector

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) here on Thursday appointed former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir as chairman of the national cricket selection committee.

The 53-year-old takes over from former fast bowler Salim Jaffer, who was made head of an interim selection committee last month.

"Qadir will be our new chief selector,"

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt told reporters, adding that other members of the selection committee will be announced shortly.

Qadir's appointment is part of the PCB's drive to use the experience of former players to put Pakistan's team cricket back on track. The Board on Wednesday also appointed former captain Javed Miandad as its director general.

Abdul Qadir said his priority will be to select the most deserving players.

"I want to give my honest dedication and will select players on merit and devise a system where no first class player can complain that he was not selected despite doing well,"

Qadir told media.

Abdul Qadir played 67 Tests for Pakistan in the 1970s and 80s and took 236 wickets. He also played 104 one-day internationals. This is the first time that Qadir has been appointed to the selection committee.

"I want to make the most of the opportunity and hopefully help Pakistan cricket with my experience,"

said Qadir, whose first task will be to select the team for a high profile home series against India.

"The first task is difficult, but we will do a honest selection so that we can put the best fight against India who are improving by leaps and bounds,"

said Qadir.

India is scheduled to go on a January-February tour of Pakistan, but it is still unclear whether the side will receive clearance by its government because of security fears in the wake of suicide bombings in Pakistan by militants.

India are slated to play a side game, three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international.

New-look PCB rings in the changes

The first raft of administrative changes have started taking place in the PCB under the leadership of new chairman Ijaz Butt. The selection committee has been re-jigged temporarily, while the team manager, Talat Ali, has decided to step down from his post.

Butt, a former Test player, took over ten days ago, in the aftermath of which chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed stepped down. The board announced today that Shafqat Rana, a member of the selection committee, has also resigned from his position.

Saleem Jaffar, the former fast bowler, and the remaining member of the previous three-man committee, becomes the chairman of selectors for now. He will be in charge of selection for the Hong Kong Sixes tournament and the three-ODI series against West Indies in Abu Dhabi next month. The two new members of the committee are former Test batsmen Ijaz Ahmed and Shoaib Mohammad. The junior selection committee has been disbanded.

In another significant change, Talat Ali has also resigned as manager of the team. Talat had been manager of the side since October 2006 and his appointment at the time was a move towards stability, away from the tradition of appointing managers series-by-series basis. Though he was brought in for ensuring discipline, a number of high-profile incidents marred his tenure.

"I have no regrets as I wanted to make way for the new chairman to bring his own team,"

he said.

"I haven't spoken to Mr Butt but I feel its the right time to leave the job and make way for some other person."

Importantly, Talat was also seen as part of a strong clique in the team that included captain Shoaib Malik and Geoff Lawson, the coach, as well as a couple of other players.

Rarely has a month gone by in the last year where reports of dissent within the team against this group have not been present. His departure and Butt's recent less-than-flattering comments about Lawson mean that more changes in the team set-up cannot be entirely ruled out.

Sultan Rana will accompany the Hong Kong Sixes team as manager while Yawar Saeed, a veteran administrator and former manager, will take over for the ODI series in Abu Dhabi.

Reports in the press have suggested that Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer and a key official in Nasim Ashraf's regime, is also set to stand down.

Yousuf pulls out of Champions Trophy

Mohammad Yousuf has made himself unavailable for Pakistan's Champions Trophy campaign in September, thus further depleting Pakistan's 30-man list of probables for the tournament.

The announcement of the squad has already been delayed twice so far, initially because of disagreement between the board and selectors over some names on the list, as well as uncertainty over Shoaib Akhtar's eligibility.

The names were supposed to be made public today, but the revelation that Mohammad Asif, one of the names in the squad, was the player who tested positive in a dope test at the IPL, meant another delay. The names will, the board now says, be announced tomorrow.

But Yousuf will not be among them. Yousuf will be unavailable because the tournament will be played during the month of Ramadan.

"Yousuf has asked to be excused from the Champions Trophy as it will be held during Ramadan and he does not want to be playing during that month,"

a source told.

"We have respected that decision and not picked him in the squad."

Though Yousuf had made the request to the board a while back, final confirmation only came today. Mohammad Hafeez is likely to take his place in the list of probables. His decision will come as a blow to a squad already likely to be missing Asif. Uncertainty remains over the inclusion in the final 15 of Shoaib, and possibly Umar Gul as well, who is yet to recover from an injury sustained during the Asia Cup.

Yousuf has been Pakistan's middle-order rock over the last 12 months, scoring over 1100 runs at an average of nearly 70, with three 100s and eight 50s. And he hasn't just milked minnows such as Bangladesh or Zimbabwe; in 14 matches against India and South Africa, he averages over 60, with six fifties and a hundred.

As Yousuf Youhana, he was one of the few Christians to have played for Pakistan and the only one to have captained the side. But he publicly announced his conversion to Islam in September 2005 and has since been a devout, practicing Muslim. Ramadan is among the holiest months in the Islamic calendar, where Muslims are expected to fast between sunrise and sunset. Pakistan players have on occasion played while fasting in the past and it is popularly thought that some were fasting during the 1992 World Cup.

Row between PCB officials, selection committee intensifies

A row between officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and national selection committee has intensified as the selectors have been called for a meeting in Lahore on the selection of 30 probable players for the ICC Champions Trophy.

The PCB governing body has directed the selection committee to prefer those players for selection who have entered into an agreement with the PCB.

In this connection, a committee has been formed which comprises of Zakir Khan, Aaqib Javed, Mudassar Nazar and Haroon Rasheed.

Most of the 30 probable players, selected by the national selection committee, do not hold central contract of the PCB.

However, the selection committee did not intimate this to the four-member committee and thus Salahuddin Sallu and the two members of the committee are meeting with the PCB officials in Lahore on Monday.

Champions Trophy: ‘Pakistan’s preliminary squad by July 15’

Chief operating officer Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shafquat Naghmi said that Pakistan’s preliminary squad for the ICC Champions Trophy would be announced after getting the approval from the PCB governing body.

Talking in the Geo News programme ‘Scorer’, Shafquat Naghmi said that the selection committee has finalized the squad for the Champions Trophy and waiting for an approval from the governing body under the PCB procedure and the team would be announced soon after getting the approval.

Sahfquat Naghmi said that the deadline for announcing the preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy is July 15 and the team would be announced before the deadline.

In reply to a question regarding the inclusion of Shoaib Akhtar, he said that it would be known when the team would be announced.

However, he told that the copy of the Lahore High Court decision has been received.

Pakistan's Asia Cup probable Squad

The axe has finally fallen on Kamran Akmal as Pakistan have left out the under fire wicketkeeper from the list of 20 probables announced for the Asia Cup, which begins on June 24. All the other members of the squad that won the Kitply Cup in Bangladesh have been included among the probables.

"We have decided to rest Kamran Akmal. He needs to sharpen up his stumps work,"

Salahuddin Ahmed, chief selector, told Cricinfo. Akmal has been Pakistan's regular wicketkeeper since November 2004, when he took over from Moin Khan, playing virtually non-stop in all three formats. Over the last two years, however, Akmal's form has been poor behind the stumps. The slump began on the 2006 tour to England, where he fluffed a number of chances, but since then he has been unable to improve.

The last straw came when he was criticised by Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, in an email leaked to the press for claiming a controversial catch against Virender Sehwag during the Kitply Cup league match against India, which Pakistan lost by 140 runs.

"[The] wicketkeeping was pathetic, especially after Kamran Akmal dropped the catch and pretended that he had held on to it,"

Ashraf wrote to team manager Talat Ali.

"This is unsporting behaviour but perhaps one has to give him the benefit of the doubt as he may not have realised that the ball had slipped out from his hand, which was picked up by the cameras. I do not want such behaviour from any Pakistani player. Please warn everyone. We ought to be looking at playing another 'keeper."

Part of the reason Akmal was persisted with for so long was that he was Shoaib Malik's preference, particularly as Malik was able to utilise him as an opener. But a poor showing in front of and behind the stumps in Bangladesh has finally meant he can no longer hold his place. Sarfraz Ahmed, the former U-19 World Cup winning captain, has been expectedly called up as Akmal's replacement.

Other inclusions in the probables are opening batsman Yasir Hameed, Mansoor Amjad, Abdur Rauf and Saeed Ajmal, the offspinner off the back of an impressive first-class season, taking 38 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 29.

"He [Amjal] was impressive this season and we want to assess him more carefully now before we announce the final squad,"

Salahuddin said.

While Sarfraz has played only three ODIs, not having batted in any of them, Hameed has been in and out of the side since last year, though he made his debut in 2003. Rauf is a fast bowler who has played one ODI, against Zimbabwe in February. The final squad will be named on June 22.

Probables for Asia Cup

Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Bazid Khan, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Anjum, Mohammad Yousuf, Nasir Jamshed, Abdur Rauf, Naumanullah, Salman Butt, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Younis Khan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Hameed, Mansoor Amjad, Saeed Ajmal

Selectors to meet on June 19 for Asia Cup team

The national selection committee will meet on June 19 at Lahore to select the Pakistan cricket team for the Asia Cup.

Chief of the selection committee Salahuddin Sallu told Geo News that captain Shoaib Malik, coach Geoff Lawson and selector Shafqat Rana are arriving from Bangladesh on Monday and on their returning home the team selection would be discussed.

He said that the number of players would be determined after consulting with the team management and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The chief selector told that the training camp of the team would be held in Karachi.

Lawson Rubbishes Rumours

Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson will not run away from his job and will continue to honour his contract.

"Why should I not honour my job? I shall be leaving for Pakistan later this week and will continue working with the players",

he said from Australia.

Lawson was reacting to reports which suggested chief selector Sallauddin Ahmed had written a letter to the Pakistan Cricket Board complaining about the working style and behaviour of the coach.

"I don't know anything about such a letter written by anybody but I have no rift with any selectors. They (the selectors) are my friends and we have been coordinating the matter.

"I shall be reaching Pakistan this week and will then seek the views of captain (Shoaib Malik) and manager (Talat Ali) about the composition of our team for the tri-series and Asia Cup later next month,"

he added.

"Our players are doing well in IPL matches and I have been monitoring their form."

However, the chief selector may not have written a letter of complaint about Lawson to his board after all.

"The chief selector would never do so without consulting us",

selector Salim Jafar confirmed from Pakistan.

"Some difference of opinion is bound to be there on some selection matters but our relations with the coach are cordial."

List of players prepared for Dhaka series

The Pakistan Cricket Board selection committee has prepared the list of 20 players for the three-nation series to be held in Dhaka.

The selection committee will hand over the list of 20 players to the PCB by May 20.

The triangular series will commence from June 8 and the teams from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh will participate in this tournament.

Chief operating officer PCB Shafqat Naghmi said that as most of the team’s players are busy in playing IPL in India, there is no need for holding training camp for the event.

Younis opts out of remaining ODIs

Younis Khan has pulled out of Pakistan's squad for the remaining three one-day internationals against Bangladesh, citing the need for rest. Younis asked the selectors to be omitted from the squad, a wish the committee granted.

"He asked us for rest and we agreed,"

Salahuddin Ahmed, chief selector, told Cricinfo.

"It gives us a chance to give some other players a go as well, guys like Bazid Khan and Fawad Alam in the batting."

Younis has seemed out of sorts in the first two matches, scoring 1 and 13. Before the first ODI in Lahore he had threatened to pull out of the match, apparently disturbed by an interview with officers from the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) about a function he attended on the tour to India in 2007. There is bound to be speculation that the pull-out is related to that, though Salahuddin denied it, saying only that Younis had cited 'personal reasons.'

No other changes have been made to the squad ahead of the third ODI against, with Pakistan sticking to a reduced 15-man squad. If Pakistan wrap up the series on Sunday in Lahore, it is likely new faces will be inducted into the squad for the remaining games.

Squad: Shoaib Malik (capt), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Bazid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Fawad Alam

16 Players announced for the first 2 ODIs against Bangladesh

The Selection Committee headed by Mr. Salahuddin Ahmed has announced the following players for the first 2-ODIs to be played against Bangladesh starting from 8th April 2008. The names are as follows:

1. Shoaib Malik - (Captain)
2. Salman Butt
3. Nasir Jamshed
4. Younis Khan
5. Mohammad Yousuf
6. Misbah-ul-Haq
7. Shahid Afridi
8. Kamran Akmal - (Wicket Keeper)
9. Umar Gul
10. Sohail Tanvir
11. Iftikhar Anjum
12. Sohail Khan
13. Wahab Riaz
14. Fawad Alam
15. Bazid Khan
16. Sarfraz Ahmed - (Wicket Keeper)

The players such as Yasir Hamid, Yasir Arafat, Faisal Iqbal, Naumanullah, Abdur Rauf, Kamran Hussain, Junaid Zia, Yasir Ali, Umair Khan and others who are performing well in Domestic Cricket (Patangular & ABN AMRO One Day Cup) will also be considered for the next 3ODIs.

Pak squad against BD to be announced tomorrow

Chief Selector of Pakistan Cricket team Salahuddin Sallu has said the squad for Pak- Bangladesh series will be announced tomorrow (Sunday).

Talking to newsmen before the selection committee’s meeting at Qaddafi stadium Lahore he said that squad for the first two one dayers will be announced tomorrow after consulting Geoff Lawson and Chairman PCB.

He also said that inclusion of Muhammad Asif and Umer Gul is conditional to their fitness reports.

PCB selection Committee meeting on Saturday

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection Committee will hold a meeting on Saturday to finalize the national squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

Fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif are less likely to be included in the squad.

Chief Selector Salahud Din Sallu will chair the PCB meeting on Saturday at Gaddafi Stadium.

Talking to Geo News, the chief selector said the players would be short-listed for five-match series against Bangladesh. The 15 to 16-member team is expected to be declared for the first two matches.

Salahud Din said the case of Shoaib Akhtar is with the disciplinary committee; whereas Mohammed Asif and Umer Gul are injured, that is why, these bowlers could not get clearance.

Pakistan to try out youngsters for Bangladesh ODIs

Pakistan will try out youngsters for the five one-dayers against Bangladesh next month at home. But though some new players will be given a chance, chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said Pakistan would not take Bangladesh lightly.

"They can be a dangerous team on their day,"

Salahuddin told the News, a Pakistan daily.

"For us the most important task would be to win the series and win comfortably."

After Australia decided to postpone their tour of Pakistan, the PCB searched for a team to replace them for a five-match ODI series. The PCB was keen on India to play the matches but the BCCI could not fit another series in to an already jam-packed itinerary.

In their recent ODIs against Zimbabwe, Pakistan tried out opener Nasir Jamshed, bowlers Abdur Rauf, Junaid Zia, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Khurram Manzoor and Khalid Latif. They also played wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed for the last two games in place of regular keeper Kamran Akmal.

But Salahuddin said Pakistan would not take any chances in playing Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh proved they are a good one-day side by reaching the last-eight in the World Cup,"

he said. Bangladesh beat India and South Africa in the tournament while Pakistan, along with India, made an exit in the first round.

The Pakistan selectors will meet members of the junior national selection committee on March 21 for advice on the young talent available in the country and announce the squad by the end of the month.

Pakistan rest Afridi, Yousuf and Kamran Hussain

Pakistan have tried out a few newcomers already in the ongoing series against Zimbabwe, and a 4-0 advantage has further emboldened the selectors to test more players for the fifth and final ODI in Sheikhupura.

Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi and Kamran Hussain, the left-arm medium-pacer who made his debut during this series, have been omitted, while Naumanullah, Rizwan Ahmed, Junaid Zia and Abdur Rauf have been drafted into a 15-member squad.

Naumanullah was the top run-getter in the 2007-08 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with 949 runs at over 60. He made 86 while playing for the Patron's XI in a tour game against the Zimbabweans. Rizwan Ahmed, the legspinning allrounder, has been called up while Zia and Rauf bolster the pace attack.

Of the four, Zia has previously played for Pakistan, in four ODIs against Bangladesh in 2003. He was impressive in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with 46 wickets for Lahore Ravi, costing 26.76 apiece.

The absence of Yousuf, who scored a hundred in Faisalabad, Afridi, and Hussain mean Pakistan will make at least three changes to their playing XI for Sheikhupura. The first four ODIs had seen five players making their debut for Pakistan, and perhaps a few more are on the cards for Saturday's match.

Squad: Shoaib Malik (capt), Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Khurram Manzoor, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Naumanullah, Fawad Alam, Rizwan Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Sohail Tanvir, Junaid Zia, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Abdur Rauf

Three new names in 14-man squad for the 4th ODI against Zimbabwe

As expected, Pakistan have made a number of changes to their squad for the fourth ODI against Zimbabwe, to be played in Faisalabad on January 30.

Pakistan wrapped up the five-match series in Multan with a comfortable 37-run win and the plan had always been to try out as many new faces as possible. With that in mind, four players have been dropped and three players come in to a 14-man squad.

Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal are the most high-profile absences; Akmal making way for Sarfraz Ahmed was always on the card once the series had been secured, but Butt's poor returns haven't helped his case. Rao Iftikhar Anjum, who has had a poor series, and Yasir Arafat, who only played in Multan, are the other casualties.

In their place come opener Khurram Manzoor, the second-leading first-class run-scorer this season, Sarfraz and Wahab Riaz, the left-arm pace bowler who has taken over 50 wickets for National Bank of Pakistan this season.

It is expected that one of Khalid Latif or Manzoor will open with Pakistan's find of the series Nasir Jamshed, while Sohail Khan might also get a chance to add some bite to what has been a toothless pace attack so far.

Pakistan squad: Shoaib Malik, Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Sarfraz Ahmad, Sohail Tanveer, Kamran Hussain, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz

Sohail, Khalid included in Pakistan squad for third ODI against Zimbabwe

HYDERABAD: Pakistan have brought in rookie pacer Sohail Khan for next week's third One-day International against Zimbabwe, selectors announced Thursday.

The 23-year-old took 65 wickets in nine first-class matches in last year's domestic season to earn a place in the national side.

"We have made two changes for the third One-day International, bringing in Sohail in place of Samiullah Niazi, and since Sarfraz Ahmed will join a wicket-keeper's camp his place is taken by Khalid Latif,"

said chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed.

Niazi has failed to take any wickets in the first two matches of the ongoing five-match series against Zimbabwe.

Pakistan lead the series 2-0 after defeating the tourists by five wickets in the second match here on Thursday.

"Sohail is an exciting prospect and we hope that he establishes himself as we are in the process of trying some young players before the all-important series against Australia,"

said Ahmed.

Pakistan are due to host Australia for three Tests and five one-day internationals in March-April this year, although security fears have put the tour in doubt.

Squad: Shoaib Malik (capt), Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Yasir Arafat, Sohail Tanvir, Khalid Latif, Nasir Jamshed, Fawad Alam, Rao Iftikhar, Sohail Khan, Kamran Hussain.

PCB plays down reports of rift

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has downplayed reports of a rift that has emerged between the national selection committee and the team's management over a number of issues, mostly revolving around the make-up of the team.

The schism first emerged on Pakistan's tour to India, with what appeared initially to be a miscommunication over the identity of a replacement player. The selectors, in apparent agreement with the coach and captain, had initially agreed on calling up Abdur Rauf as replacement for the injured Umar Gul.

Having announced it officially during the second Test at Kolkata, the board changed tack later that evening and decided to send Rao Iftikhar Anjum instead. It is now understood that Shoaib Malik, the captain, and coach Geoff Lawson had wanted Iftikhar Anjum all along and convinced the board directly later, thus bypassing the selection committee.

Since then, Cricinfo has learnt, there have been continuing disagreements over the playing XI in the current series against Zimbabwe. The selection committee has been keen to use the opportunity to blood new players in various positions. In particular, they were adamant that Nasir Jamshed should make his debut as opener; the team management, as well as Malik were instead eager to use Kamran Akmal as opener and play an extra bowler in place of Shahid Afridi.

Before the series began, a heated debate is said to have taken place between Salahuddin Ahmed, chairman of selectors, and Geoff Lawson, the coach, over the matter. But as a result of a recent policy shift, it is now the selection committee that decides on the final playing XI during a home series.

Jamshed has thus played and made an immediate impact in his first two ODIs. But Pakistan have also appeared a bowler short in both games, struggling to bowl out Zimbabwe with only three specialist bowlers and five realistic bowling options in total.

Nasim Ashraf, chairman PCB, didn't deny the reports, but sought to play them down instead, claiming them to be nothing more than everyday professional tussles.

"Everyone is operating within their sphere of responsibility,"

he told reporters in Hyderabad.

"Both the selection committee and team management have separately told me in the last few days that they have a good relationship. If they don't disagree on matters during meetings, what is the point of having these meetings at all? This is healthy debate and not signs of a rift."

Sources close to the matter maintain, however, that the issue is swiftly developing into more than just professional differences in opinion. One source adds that there has been another run-in with Malik following Pakistan's win in the first ODI at Karachi. The last selection committee, headed by Wasim Bari, was widely thought to be little more than a rubber-stamp for Inzamam-ul-Haq's choices while he was captain, particularly towards the end of its tenure. The current committee, the first in Pakistan's history to employ full-time, paid selectors, is understandably keen to avoid a similar situation with Malik and eager to assert its authority.

Ashraf also played down the contents of a report by manager Talat Ali following the tour to India, in which, according to a couple of local newspapers, the contributions of Younis Khan, Gul and Shoaib Akhtar have come under fire. The report is due to be discussed at a meeting of the board's governing committee in Karachi on January 25.

"We expect everybody to give an honest opinion in a respectful way," said Ashraf. "We expect the manager and the coach to do this in their reports. The governing board is looking at the issue and the report will be discussed professionally. The idea of these reports is not to apportion blame but to learn from mistakes on future tours."