August 18, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 15, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 17: Playing down the reports over differences with the captain and coach regarding certain selections for the ICC Champions Trophy, chairman of selectors Salahuddin Ahmed said on Sunday that the entire procedure was duly followed in picking the 15-member Pakistan squad for the eight-nation tournament.

“The selectors have to take the input of both coach and captain before finalising the squad and we have done that before giving a final shape to the squad,” Salahuddin told Dawn on Sunday.

“No doubt there were some differences over the selection of some players but it is not new as these have been the same issues the world over, that the captain and the coach have been showing differences against the selection decisions,” he stated.

“According to the rules and regulations, the selectors are bound to take the input of both coach and captain but giving final shape to the line-up is our right,” he clarified.

The selectors on Tuesday announced the squad for the Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan from Sept 12. However, there have been some reports lately that coach Geoff Lawson and captain Shoaib Malik argued with the selectors over certain selections.

Lawson’s sudden departure to his native country Australia soon after the meeting with the selectors added further fuel to the fire. However, later the PCB clarified the situation claiming that Lawson went back to be part of the ICC task force in its campaign to convince Australia and New Zealand to tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, setting aside the security fears.

Salahuddin further insisted that all the three selectors approved the 15-man squad unanimously.

He added Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul and Salman Butt, who could not play the Multan trial matches which were held to assess match-fitness of the players, due to fitness problems, were only included in the squad after the PCB medical committee chairman Dr Mohammad Ali Shah cleared them.

“To receive the clearance from Dr Shah, the selectors had been waiting for hours and also delayed the scheduled press conference at Lahore by two hours,” he said.

“All the three were included when PCB’s Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi confirmed to the selectors that Dr Shah has cleared them (the three players mentioned above),” he said.

“I would like to disclose that had Dr Shah’s report not cleared the [three] cricketers they could not have been selected,” the chief selector asserted.

Commenting on the fate of Pakistan as hosts of the ICC Champions Trophy, which is in the doldrums due to the security fears of some players from England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the chief selector said by holding the Asia Cup in June-July, the PCB had approved its abilities as successful hosts.

“In fact, the credit goes to the PCB Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf for successfully holding the Asia Cup as any untoward incident during the continental event could completely ruin our chances as hosts for the Champions Trophy too,” he noted.

He said it was also an achievement of the PCB that no country’s board had refused to participate in the Trophy, as all were trying to convince some reluctant players.

Salahuddin hoped that the ICC would keep Pakistan as hosts of the extravaganza citing the country had full potential to hold the prestigious contest.