The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday rejected experiences that teenage pacer Naseem Shah was withdrawn from the Pakistan U-19 squad for this month’s ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup as a result of considerations over his precise age.
The PCB, as a part of its customary working procedures, had “rechecked and verified” ages of all potential members of the Pakistan Junior group in November earlier than choosing the squad on December 6, 2019, a press release issued by the board stated. It added that Naseem was subsequently named within the aspect after he met the ICC age eligibility standards for the event, which was set on September 1, 2000.
Whereas rejecting the “impression in a section of the media” that Naseem was pulled out of the U-19 Cricket World Cup as a result of considerations over his age, the PCB reiterated that he was withdrawn from the squad on the request of the Pakistan males’s senior group administration “purely on cricketing reasons”.
“In this background, the PCB is disappointed that an attempt has been made to tarnish the credibility and reputation of an emerging fast-bowler with a bright future ahead,” the assertion stated, referring to Naseem.
On Monday, well-informed sources had informed Daybreak that the PCB’s late resolution to drop Naseem from the Pakistan Junior group, which is ready to take part within the Junior World Cup in South Africa later this month, was probably for the rationale to keep away from additional controversy over his age within the worldwide media.
Though Naseem had been chosen within the U-19 World Cup squad, he was later drafted into the senior group which toured Australia in Nov-Dec 2019 for the two-Check sequence and gained the limelight as a rookie quick bowler. When the Junior group was within the remaining phases of getting ready for the World Cup, the PCB out of the blue introduced that the bowler wouldn’t be a part of the squad for the mega occasion as head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis had different plans labored out for him.
On the tour of Australia, some questions over Naseem’s age have been raised within the worldwide media however the PCB categorically denied all such experiences and stated it completely depends on NADRA’s document and that there was no purpose to doubt the younger pacer’s age. Nevertheless, some ex-players from Australia, Pakistan and even India nonetheless expressed their doubts.
Dependable sources informed Daybreak that regardless of defending Naseem’s age fairly stoutly, the PCB did provoke an investigation at its personal degree after the Australia tour to set the document straight on the bowler’s age. Sources stated that PCB’s medical doctors of their experiences couldn’t confirm Naseem’s precise date of start as a result of they have been of the view that no dependable scientific means is offered to find out that, whereas no worldwide sporting physique recognises bone take a look at because the genuine parameter to resolve any participant’s age.
It could be talked about that in keeping with an interview revealed in Daybreak in 2016, former West Indian nice quick bowler Andy Roberts had talked about that he had noticed Naseem at a expertise hunt programme in Karachi in 2016 and predicted that he would develop right into a world-class quick bowler very quickly.
“I must say that I very much liked a young fast bowler by the name of Naseem. He is just 16-year-old. I am sorry that I did not have at least two, three weeks’ time to work with him,” the 65-year-old Antiguan pacer had stated within the interview. “This fellow is very aggressive, he has real pace and he is so young. He has the passion for the game and if he maintains it, he will reach far. He is a very good prospect.”
