Pakistan chief selector threatens to quit
Pakistan chief selector Mohsin Khan is unhappy with some of the players selected for the two-test series against West Indies and threatens to quit if they are not replaced by Wednesday.
- Associated Press
- Updated: May 04, 2011 01:12 pm IST
Pakistan chief selector Mohsin Khan is unhappy with some of the players selected for the two-test series against West Indies and threatens to quit if they are not replaced by Wednesday.
The former Pakistan opening batsman told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his selections were ignored in the 15-member squad.
"I have asked the Pakistan Cricket Board to let me know by tomorrow afternoon whether they are making changes or not. I will resign if they are not replaced by Wednesday afternoon," said Khan, adding that he will hold a news conference at that time.
Khan, who didn't name the players he wants in the squad, is reportedly at odds with the rest of the selection panel of Asif Baloch, Mohammad Ilyas, Azhar Khan and Farrukh Zaman. Baloch is the only one who has never played test or one-day international cricket.
"I can't say much on the issue and everything will be cleared up by tomorrow afternoon," Khan said.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has picked uncapped wicketkeeper Mohammad Salman instead of Adnan Akmal, who took 16 catches plus one stumping in four tests against South Africa and New Zealand.
The first test against West Indies begins at Guyana on May 12. St. Kitts will host the second test from May 20.
Khan is the fifth chief selector since Ijaz Butt took over as PCB chairman in October 2008.
Former test cricketers Salahuddin Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Wasim Bari and Iqbal Qasim all served as chief selectors before quitting after either developing differences with Butt or due to the poor performance of the team.
Qasim was surprised by the omission of Akmal, who first replaced older brother Kamran Akmal for the test series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates last year.
"This is not the way to rebuild a team," Qasim said. "He performed outstandingly in the two test series last year and his omission is highly questionable."