Pakistan to finalise preliminary squad for World Cup 2011 on December 30

LAHORE - Pakistan cricket selectors will meet on December 30 to finalise the preliminary squad of 30 players for next year’s World Cup.

The selectors decided to meet on December 30 after being assured by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that they would be given a clear answer on the availability of some players.

“The board has set a deadline for Danish Kaneria, Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik to file all documents about their properties and accounts by next week and has decided to reach a decision by December 30,” the Daily Times quoted one source, as saying.

According to the source, the board’s Integrity Committee would also meet the players on the same day to take a final decision on whether they can be cleared to be considered for national selection.

Last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had extended its deadline for Pakistan to name their preliminary squad for 2011 World Cup until January 5.

It is noteworthy that the integrity committee of the PCB had said that it needed more time for consideration relating to the clearance of players.

“The board is now moving quickly on this issue of clearance since the ICC has given them an extended deadline until January 5 to submit their World Cup preliminary squad,” said the source.

The PCB also had to keep in mind that most of the other participating nations had already announced their preliminary squads, and it “does not want to delay this matter of clearance to players any longer,” he added.

The source said that the issue of the Integrity Committee giving clearance to Kaneria, Kamran and Malik was discussed in detail at the meeting of the PCB Governing Council.

“PCB chief Ijaz Butt gave a detailed briefing to the members of the governing council on the issues surrounding the selection of these players for the World Cup and about the PCB discussions with the ICC on this issue,” he said.

The source also said that the Governing Council had given the Integrity Committee complete authority to decide on the issue of giving clearance to the three players.

“Members of the board, while agreeing that players like Kamran and Malik were essential for Pakistan in the World Cup, also noted that it was time for the PCB to set the right tone for future generation of cricketers. They said no player should be selected if there was even a small doubt about his integrity to the game,” the source added. (ANI)