Sports
Selectors can be influenced, warns former captain
by Rex Clementine
One of the respected voices in cricket has warned that cricket selectors can be influenced and there needs to be background checks before selection appointments are made. This individual is a former Sri Lanka captain who has held various positions at SLC since retiring from the game and he is known for his unquestionable integrity.
He was one of the former captains who attended a meeting chaired by Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa at the ministry premises earlier this week. The meeting was attended by several former captains and cricket administrators. Minister Rajapaksa tweeted that it was a ‘fruitful’ discussion.
The present selection committee has made some bizarre decisions that has not gone down too well with the public and it came under heavy flack by a host of former captains during the meeting on Monday.
While axing half a dozen seniors from the white ball teams, the selectors sent the wrong signals when they went on record saying that they hoped to retain the services of fast bowler Lasith Malinga for the home T-20 series against India. The statement obviously did not go down well in cricket circles with the coaching staff issuing an ultimatum that if Malinga wanted to return to the side, he needed to meet necessary fitness standards.
The Island learns that the selectors were even willing to make some exceptions for Malinga when it came to fitness. Eventually, there was opposition within the selection panel and the Malinga fantasy lasted a little more than the England innings at Trent Bridge.
The selectors choice for captaincy too left many in bewilderment. Kusal Janith Perera hadn’t even captained his school; Royal College when he was appointed as skipper of the T-20 and ODI sides. The leadership many felt was too much of a burden for KJP and into the bargain he was made to keep wickets apart from opening batting. This was after the selectors had named Niroshan Dickwella in the top category of annual contracts claiming he is a certainty in all three formats. The national selection panel is full of contradictions.
The KJP experiment naturally did not last long and he was axed as captain barely a month later.
If that appointment was not bad enough, how about the choice for vice-captain? Time was when the corporate sector took a leaf out of cricket for maintaining high standards but at present decisions made in cricket circles has become a laughing stock. The national selection panel chose someone on bail as the vice-captain of the national cricket team. Kusal Mendis is his name. Obviously, that experiment too did not last long.
Mendis’ form too was rotten when he was appointed vice-captain having picked up four successive ducks. Having not made any impact in any form of cricket to warrant a comeback, Mendis finds himself not only included in the side but elevated to the post of vice-captain too.
A host of former captains who attended the meeting echoed one sentiment; selections are handled by amateurs.
(Cricbuzz)
The remainder of the tenth edition of the PSL has been moved to the UAE amid escalating border tensions between Pakistan and India. The PCB has said that the dates and venues of the remaining eight games in the PSL 2025 season would be officially confirmed in due course.
On Thursday, Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi were due to play a game at the Rawalpindi Stadium, which was rescheduled following an emergency meeting. At the meeting, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with overseas players in the league, who overwhelmingly expressed a desire to relocate the league to the UAE.
ESPNcricinfo understands that foreign players are already on their way out of Pakistan to the UAE, where the rest of the league will be played. It is likely to be several days before the next game is played as the PCB works out which venues to play the games at.
The original schedule would have seen four of the remaining games in Rawalpindi, one in Multan, and the final three in Lahore. An earlier update from the PCB had said the league would be rescheduled, but did not confirm at the time it would be taken out of Pakistan, with Karachi considered a likely option.
The PSL, now in its tenth season, is familiar with the UAE, having started there back in 2016. It was played there in full – barring the PSL 2017 final – for the first two seasons. Part of season six, in 2021, also had to be played in the UAE because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Any delays to the PSL are likely to impact Pakistan’s international calendar, too. Bangladesh are due to arrive in Pakistan three days after the PSL final, originally slated for May 18, with the first of five T20Is to begin on May 25 in Faisalabad. The PCB told ESPNcricinfo that no decision had yet been taken on the fate of that series.
(Cricinfo)
Bangladesh Under 19s won the six-match Youth ODI series 3-2 after the final Youth ODI against Sri Lanka Under 19s ended without a result due to rain at the Colts ground on Thursday.
Sri Lanka came to the final match with the hope of leveling the series but rain prevented a full match.
Deciding to bat first, the visitors were 188 for three wickets in the 40th over when rain prevented further play.
Skipper Azizul Hakim led Bangladesh with 94 runs inclusive of seven fours and two sixes. For the hosts, Tharusha Navodya, Kugathas Mathulan and Himal Ravihansa took a wicket each.
Sri Lanka Under 19s won the opening encounter by a big margin but three consecutive defeats thereafter saw the visitors take command. Sri Lanka Under 19s bounced back in the penultimate match to keep alive the series but rain spoilt their plans in the final encounter.
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