ISLAMABAD, May 8: The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) which had axed leading players Asim Shafik and Nomi Qamar, has now taken a U-turn by recalling them for next month’s Davis Cup camp.
Both Asim and Nomi who were shown the door after Pakistan’s 5-0 drubbing by New Zealand in February, are among a pool of nine players who have been asked to report for the camp at Lahore starting on Aug 4.
The president of the PTF, Syed Dilawar Abbas who initially took the decision of dropping Asim and Nomi and decided to bring in new faces as replacements for the tie against Japan in April, held a meeting with his lieutenants.
“We have recalled Asim and Nomi because this is a home series but it does not mean that my aim of scouting new talent to eventually replace the old guard has ended,” Dilawar made it clear.
“In this regard we will be giving opportunity to as many as eight junior players to make the Davis Cup team by holding separate trials for them and picking the top two and putting them in the senior camp for final selection.”
The meeting that involved the PTF secretary Rashid Khan and treasurer Arif Qureshi discussed at length the whitewash of the Pakistan team in the ties against New Zealand and Japan in the light of the managers’ reports.
The training camp is in preparation for the Sept 19-21 tie against Korea at Lahore and the players who have been invited besides Asim and Nomi are Aisamul Haq, Aqeel Khan, Shahzad Khan, Jalil Khan, Inam Gul, Muhammad Shafik and Shahzad Samad Khan. “Another two players Shahzeb Khan Niazi and Ahmed Whala, both of whom are currently abroad, are also to be invited,” Rashid said and added that Aisam and Aqeel have been exempted from the trials.
The junior players who have been chosen for the trials are Shahid Afridi, Munir Ashiq, Shahrukh Khan Niazi, Babar Ali Khan, Akber Pataudi, Wasif Cheema, Mehar Nisar and Muteeb Pasha. Their trials will take place at the PTF Complex in Islamabad in late July.
According to PTF’s plan the 13 players including two juniors would be asked to appear in trials after which the top four will make the Davis Cup team. A decision on who will be the non- playing captain has not yet been made.