LAHORE, April 26: The first meeting of the newly appointed national junior selection committee was held here on Thursday to finalise the programme of selecting Pakistan’s Under-19 team for the tour of England.
Col Naushad Ali, chief of the committee, said the meeting, attended by all the members, discussed different strategies for the future, however added the focus was on selection of the U-19 squad for the England tour. Pakistan U-19s will tour England from July 25 to play five one-dayers and two four-day games.
The members of the committee included Aftab Baloch, Azhar Khan, Mohsin Kamal and Arshad Khan while the National Cricket Academy (NCA) Director Mudassar Nazar attended the meeting as a co-opted member.
Naushad informed the committee decided that one-month long camp would be held in Lahore followed by a three-week camp in Abbottabad, before selecting the final team for the England trip, adding no specific dates for the camps have been decided yet.
The chief selector added the players, who had performed well during Pakistan U-19s’ last visit to Australia this month, would be preferred for the next assignment.
“The committee has decided to give priority to the boys who performed well on their recent tour to Australia and those who have failed to deliver there will be replaced with the reserves,” he said.
He further stated that Mohsin Sheikh, Pakistan’s U-19 coach on Australia tour, would hand over his report soon, adding it would help the selectors pick the side for the England assignment.