“The national selection committee headed by Mohsin Khan has recommended the names of Mohammad Sami and Abdul Rehman to replace the injured Umar Gul and Yasir Arafat for the ICC World Twenty20. The names have been approved by PCB chairman,” stated a short press release from the board on Monday.
The PCB, on Sunday, faced much embarrassment when head coach Waqar stunned everyone at a press conference by revealing that Sami and Irfan would be making the squad in place of the two injured fast bowlers.
In fact, both Yasir and Umar were still to appear before the medical panel on April 20 in order to clear their final fitness test, so no one was expecting the sudden announcement, especially about Irfan, who was not even included in the preliminary list of 30 probables.
Waqar's announcement was endorsed by Mohsin as well. But then came a press release from the PCB, indicating that something was wrong as it stated that the changes would need the PCB chairman's approval, who is the authority for giving the final nod in such instances.
Commenting on the new development, Coach Waqar told Dawn “The names of Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Sami were recommended by the captain and myself while keeping our strategy in mind. But what can I do, they opted for Abdul Rehman!”
Waqar smiled and answered in the negative when asked if the new development would go against his strategy. “It's all right,” he said.
When asked to comment on the earlier jointly-made statement from him and the chief selector where they had named Irfan and Sami as replacements and the other one about the replacement of Abdul Rehman, which also made by Mohsin, Waqar, who seemed like he was trying not to give any more bold or controversial statements only said “Well, what can one do?”
Sources told Dawn that the team management had first opted for opening batsman Shahzaib Hasan, but the national selection committee did not approve of him because it wanted to replace one bowler by another bowler.
Fast bowler Wahab Riaz's name also came under discussion but he was not fully fit hence it was Abdul Rehman, who was selected as the all-rounder in place of Yasir Arafat.
It may be mentioned here that Waqar, in his first press conference after being made coach, had said that Abdul Rehman was not really needed by the team as they already had three spinners in Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal.
Dropping Irfan as an option might also be due to his not being included in the preliminary list of 30 probables and there being a problem with logistic and visa arrangements in his case, which could take more time as the team is scheduled to leave for the West Indies on April 23.
Meanwhile, PCB's Chief Operating Officer Wasim Bari has admitted that they did not follow the proper procedure laid down for them by the board before announcing the two replacements on Sunday.
When the media asked Bari at a press conference, organised here on Monday to sign a deal with a sponsor company, about the reason of issuing the earlier press release on Sunday, he said “I don't want to comment on the matter as there are other far more important things to consider when our team is going to the West Indies to defend the World T20 title. However, there is a laid down procedure about making replacements, which was not followed in this case.”
Asked if Waqar was unaware about that procedure, Bari reiterated that he did not want to comment on the matter.
It is most likely that Waqar and Mohsin would be asked to explain their position for violating the proper procedure.
In fact it was also the failure of the national team's manager Yawar Saeed, who could not handle Waqar and Afridi's important press conference, organised at the end of the national training camp, on Sunday.
The PCB is too touchy in its attempt to avoid any controversy and for that reason there were strict restrictions on the captain, coach and every player not to speak to the press during the camp. But the manager did not bother to sit with Waqar, Afridi or even with Mohsin during the press conference in order to avoid any controversy, which showed a lack of proper planning on the board's part.
To another question, Bari, who also happens to be a former celebrated Test wicket-keeper, said that the PCB's appellate tribunal would soon start hearing the appeals of the six Test cricketers facing heavy penalties for acts of indiscipline during the last tour of Australia.
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