March 25, 2006	Saturday	Safar 24, 1427

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LAHORE, March 24: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) could drop its decision of appointing a paid national selection committee. This was hinted by the PCB chairman Shaharyar M. Khan after presiding over another ad hoc committee meeting which failed to take any major decisions, including that of the selection committee.

“The present national selection committee is doing a good job and in the next ad hoc committee meeting it may be considered if a paid selection committee is necessary,” the chairman, responding to a volley of questions about the delay in appointing paid selectors, stated.

The PCB had taken a decision in principle about a year ago to run the board professionally by appointing a paid selection committee.

But it failed to get the concurrence of the captain and coach, who fear that their say in selection matters will be limited in the presence of paid selectors.

The chairman stressed that paid national selection committee would cost around Rs8 million to Rs10 million per year and in addition its members would also charge various allowances.

“The present selectors are doing the same job only with the burden of travelling allowances, therefore, we will continue with the same team till an appropriate time,” he said.

The chairman pointed out that the National Cricket Academy would start working by the end of March.

He clarified that candidates who showed interest for different posts at the NCA had been shortlisted and now their appointments would be made according to the process.

Former Test cricketers Intikhab Alam and Mudassar Nazar are candidates for the post of NCA director.

He said the committee had approved the final design of the Pakistan Cricket Club in Karachi. The club would have 120 rooms equipped with all-Five Star hotel and sports facilities.

The upgrading of the National Stadium with increased spectator capacity to 50,000 from 35,000 has been approved in principle.

Architects will be submitting a detailed design for approval in May this year, he added.

He said the committee was apprised about the ICC’s decisions regarding South Asia’s World Cup bid, international Twenty20 World Cup and the new future tours programme.

The chairman leaves for London on Sunday to take possession of the “Pakistan House” purchased at the Oval by Pakistanis residing in the UK.

Meanwhile, Shaharyar denied reports that he had been appointed ambassador to a European country.

“I do not want to go back into government as I am doing this job (in PCB) because I have a craze for cricket,” Shaharyar told newsmen on Friday. There are reports that Shaharyar has been appointed as ambassador to Italy.

He said the ICC has raised some objections about the facilities at Peshawar and Faisalabad stadiums.

Shaharyar explained that ICC referees, who conducted the series against England and India were not happy with some of the facilities at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad and Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawer.

He said after the introduction of ICC’s new policy of pitch monitoring, it was necessary that the government hand over the control of stadiums to PCB for better maintenance.

“The PCB does not want control of shops of Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad stadiums but only cricketing control within the stadium and the ad hoc committee had appealed to the federal and provincial governments for this purpose,” he said.

He said in case of poor cricketing facilities, the ICC could ban a stadium or impose fine.