LAHORE, March 23: The announcement of the Pakistan squad for next month’s Under-15 World Cup has been delayed as a number of selected players have been found overage after the wrist tests were conducted of nearly 37 probables.

The mega event is to be held in the West Indies from April 15.

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s junior selection committee, headed by Col Naushad Ali had selected a 15-member team with five standbys to be handed over to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) medical department for confirmation of their ages but their wrist test revealed that the squad comprises a good many overage players.

“Yes there is a problem as some selected players have been declared overage and we are in the process of having some remaining non-selected players tested. We will announce the team in the next couple of days after completing the tests,” Col Naushad told Dawn on Sunday.

The boys were picked after holding a national-wide event for Under-16 players. When asked if it had been wise to hold an Under-16 event to pick an Under-15 side, the chief selector said in all 180 players from across the country took part in the tournament and 80 per cent of them were Under-15, according to their birth certificates.

“We decided to hold the Under-16 tournament to pick players both for an Under-15 team as well as the academy,” he said.

It is however surprisingly that a meagre number of 15 players could not meet the age criteria from 80 per cent probables.

The junior selection committee, according to Naushad, would also announce the Pakistan Academy team for the tour of Bangladesh, starting from April 16.

“The national selection committee [seniors] has also given us a list of 18 players not to be included in the academy team due to their availability for the senior team’s home series against Bangladesh,” he said.

“We will form a strong academy team for the tour of Bangladesh, despite not having the 18 players [mainly Test and international cricketers],” he said.

The academy team will play a triangular tournament also involving teams from South Africa and Bangladesh academies. Two four-day games against the hosts will also be held later.