Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani has ruled out any changes in the national selection committee and the team management before the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019, in the aftermath of the whitewash against Australia in the just-concluded ODI series.
The selection committee and team management including Pakistan head coach, Mickey Arthur is under fire after the disastrous five-match series against Australia, but Mani said the time was not right for making any changes. “We will assess the performance of the selectors and management after the World Cup,” he said. (ALSO READ: Australia whitewash Pakistan 5-0 in ODI series)
“The team management is just not the head coach. It is about all the other coaches and the support staff. Their performances will be reviewed after the World Cup,” he added.
Asked if he was worried about the results against Australia, Mani said the selectors and management had solid reasons for resting six regular players against Australia.
He said some of the players were carrying injuries and pacer, Hasan Ali himself had requested for a break. “They have been playing non-stop cricket since September and we felt it would be best if the team went fresh to the World Cup,” Mani said. (ALSO READ: Steve Smith-David Warner bans end: What has happened in 12 months)
He said that the defeats to Australia were obviously disappointing, but the team had ample matches and practice time before the World Cup.
The selection committee headed by Inzamam-ul-Haq had rested captain Sarfraz Ahmed, Hasan, Shadab Khan, Babar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Fakhar Zaman for the Australia series in the UAE where Pakistan were beaten in all five matches. Mani also said that he doesn’t interfering in matters related to the selection committee and team management. “But after the World Cup we will take stock of their performances and the future plan of Pakistan cricket,” he said.
Since winning the Champions Trophy in June 2017, Pakistan have won just 15 ODIs and 12 of those victories included five wins over a depleted Sri Lankan outfit, Zimbabwe and one win each over Afghanistan and Hong Kong. (ALSO READ: Australia will have to take ‘brutal’ calls for World Cup: Justin Langer)
Struggling at the sixth position in the ODI rankings, Pakistan is scheduled to leave early for England around April 24 to begin its preparations for the World Cup.
