RAWALPINDI, Feb 2: Naushad Ali, Regional Development Manager of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Wednesday he was surprised that some really talented girls had turned up for Rawalpindi Region trials.

"Some of them are good talented cricketers and I am sure that if they keep playing they could really make a name for themselves," he told Dawn. As many as 51 girls attended the trials held at the Rawalpindi Stadium out of which 20 were chosen by a selection committee comprising former Test cricketer Javed Akhtar, Nighat Saeed and Talat Farooq.

"Rashida Iqbal is a fine all-rounder and Sehar Hayat a good fast bowler," Naushad said. "There are others too who have potential and the kind of talent we have, I am confident that the Rawalpindi team will do well in the National Championship."

The championship is to take place in the first week of next month while a training camp for the Rawalpindi players will begin in mid February. The captain and vice captain of the team will be named during the course of the camp.

Players from Mirpur and the adjoining areas of Rawalpindi keenly took part in the trials which were originally scheduled for Jan 26 but had to be put back because of rains.