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The PCB chairman Najam Sethi recently spoke at a press conference where he revealed the team lineup for the upcoming series against Afghanistan. Sethi also shed light on the decision to rest some of Pakistan’s star players and bring young talent to the fore. Additionally, he spoke about the ongoing issue of bad behaviour from the Afghanistan cricket team and the warning given to them by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
PCB chairman Najam Sethi discusses Young Blood in the Squad
The PCB chairman Najam Sethi explained that one of the primary reasons for selecting young players in the squad was to give them international exposure and experience. He stated that the young players had shown promise and potential in PSL 8, and it was the right time to test them on the international stage. This would not only provide them with a platform to showcase their skills but also groom them for the future.
“We decided to bring our promising youngsters in this 3-match series and will rest the senior players. These young players make their name in PSL and then wait for whole year. Therefore we decided to make this Afghanistan series a training ground to test the youngsters” – PCB Chairman Najam Sethi
PCB chairman Najam Sethi says that there is no threat to Babar’s captaincy
Addressing the concerns surrounding Babar Azam’s captaincy, Sethi clarified that there was no threat to his position as captain of the team. He emphasized that Babar was Pakistan’s shining star and a valuable asset to the team. However, the decision to rest Babar from the upcoming series was made to avoid any injury that may occur from playing irrelevant matches. Sethi further added that whenever Babar wants he will be the captain for all three formats.
Najam Sethi “There is no threat. Our established skipper Babar will remain the captain of our national squad until he himself decides whether he wants to leave captaincy of any one format or all three formats or he wants to remain the captain in all. It will totally be his call”
“I respect Babar a lot; he is our top star. I am very happy that he supported our decision to try youngsters against Afghanistan”
Resting the Star Players
PCB chairman Najam Sethi explained that resting some of Pakistan’s star players was a strategic move to ensure their fitness for the upcoming series against New Zealand, the Asia Cup and the World Cup. The New Zealand tour is a significant event for Pakistan, and the players need to be in top form. Hence, it was important to give them some rest and avoid overburdening them with unnecessary matches.
Najam Sethi “I do feel Babar has played a lot of cricket and there is danger of injury as he is our biggest asset and if he plays irrelevant matches he won’t be able to play our core matches”
PCB chairman Najam Sethi warns Afghanistan Cricket Board
Sethi also addressed the issue of Afghanistan’s behaviour towards Pakistani players during their previous encounters. He warned the Afghanistan Cricket Board to ensure that their players keep their behaviour in check and maintain the spirit of the game. Sethi emphasized that the Pakistan Cricket Board would not tolerate any such behaviour and would take necessary action to protect the interests of their players.
Najam Sethi “I had a chat with Afghanistan officials in Dubai about crowd control and their players’ behaviour. What is the guarantee about managing your fans and players, because past experiences haven’t been good,”
“We told Afghanistan Board to control their players. Winning and losing is part of the game. We have experience about winning and losing so we can control our emotions, but they are new to international cricket, so they need to keep their players in check,”
“In addition to that, strict action will be taken against rowdiness from people. There will be strict security in Sharjah,”
Conclusion
In conclusion, Najam Sethi’s press conference shed light on the various decisions taken by the Pakistan Cricket Board regarding the upcoming series against Afghanistan. The inclusion of young players in the squad, the decision to rest star players, and the warning to the Afghanistan Cricket Board were some of the highlights of the conference. As Pakistan prepares for the series, it remains to be seen how the team performs, but with Sethi’s leadership, the future looks bright.
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