ISLAMABAD // The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt has disbanded the national selection panel despite the country's Twenty20 World Cup success earlier this month. The PCB said in a statement today that the decision to disband the senior and junior selection committees would come into effect immediately, but that former Test wicketkeeper, Wasim Bari, would continue to work as chairman of interim selection panel.
Mr Bari was appointed earlier this month after Abdul Qadir blamed meddling by PCB officials for his sudden resignation as chief selector during the Twenty20 World Cup in England. Pakistan went on to beat Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup final at Lord's on June 21 to collect their first major international prize since claiming the 1992 World Cup title in the 50-over format. The PCB did not say when the next panel of selectors will be named.
"The interim selection committee will continue to function until further orders," said a statement. Former Test cricketers Salim Jaffar and Shoaib Mohammad were the members of the senior selection committee who were stood down, while Mohammad Ilyas headed the junior selection panel. Mr Bari had selected the 15-member squad for three Test matches against Sri Lanka with coach Intikhab Alam, captain Younis Khan and vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq as the committee's other members.
After the tour of Sri Lanka, where Pakistan will also play five limited-overs internationals and a Twenty20 match, Pakistan's next international assignment is the Champions Trophy in South Africa in September. Upheaval has plagued Pakistani cricket for several years under a string of coaches and against a backdrop of constant security concerns which have limited tours by foreign teams. Pakistan lost the rights to host the Champions Trophy last year when teams including Australia and England indicated they would refuse to play.
After the Sri Lanka team was attacked by gunmen en route to a Test match at Lahore in March, Pakistan were stripped of their share of matches as co-host for the 2011 World Cup. *AP
