PCB announces Pakistan's junior selection committee

Taufeeq Umar, who last played a Test in 2014, will be a part of the five-man selection committee © Getty

The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced a new five-person men's junior selection committee, which will be headed by former internationalSaleem Jaffar.

The panel also includes three modern day internationals in Arshad Khan, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Taufeeq Umar, while Sanaullah Baloch, a first-class player, has been retained from the previous panel.

The panel will assume charge from July 1st 2019 and will be responsible for selecting the youth sides, including Pakistan U-13, U-16 and U-19s. Their first assignment will potentially be the selection of the Pakistan U-19 for the ACC U-19 Asia Cup to be played in Sri Lanka in September.

The new selection panel has replaced the committee that was headed by Basit Ali, which finished its term in May. The members of the committe have collectively played 68 Tests, 181 ODIs and two T20Is between themselves.

"I want to congratulate the new selection panel on their appointment. This is a prestigious assignment as pathway cricket features very high and prominently in the PCB strategy," said Managing Director Wasim Khan. "I am confident that this group will select players who will go on to become future stars of Pakistan cricket."

"The selection panel is a good blend of experience in Saleem Jaffar and young members in Arshad, Rao, Samaullah and Taufeeq. Saleem is an immensely respected figure in Pakistan cricket and has been part of a few selection panels in the past. As such, he knows how to manage and conduct meetings and spot the talent, and, as such, he will also prove to be a good mentor and guide for the younger members of the panel to grow in their careers."

"I am honoured that the PCB has entrusted me with this posting," said Jaffar, who has been retained in the committee. "I look forward to playing my part in the growth and development of junior cricket, as well as providing opportunities to the deserving players so that they can cherish their dreams of representing Pakistan."

Saleem was a part of the senior selection panel whose selected sides reached the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, won the Asia Cup in 2008 and the ICC T20 World Cup in 2009.

Saleem Jaffar - A Level-3 coach who took 36 and 40 wickets in 14 Tests and 39 ODIs respectively between 1986 and 1992. After retirement, he served as national, departmental and regional coach in addition to his role as a selector. He last served as a member of the national selection committee between 2015 and 2016. Saleem Jaffar was also a member of the Pakistan squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 1987.

Arshad Khan - Took 32 and 56 wickets in nine Tests and 58 ODIs respectively between 1993 and 2006. During his first-class career, he captained Allied Bank and Peshawar sides. He has previously served as a junior selector in 2007 and 2008. He also served as the head coach of the Quetta region in 2011-2012, and worked as Peshawar Zalmi's spin bowling coach in HBL PSL 2019.

Rao Iftikhar Anjum - Played one Test, 62 ODIs and two T20Is between 2004 and 2010. In a first-class career from 1999 to 2015, he took 523 wickets. He coached ZTBL in the 2015-2016 season and is presently a fast bowling consultant at the National Cricket Academy.

Taufeeq Umar - Scored 2,963 runs in 44 Tests and 504 runs in 22 ODIs between 2001 and 2014. First of his seven Test centuries was on his debut against Bangladesh in Multan. In 177 first-class matches, he scored 10,598 runs at an average of 36.41.

Sanaullah Baloch - Has been retained in the junior selection committee after having worked under Basit Ali's panel from 2017 to 2019. He also served as regional and women's selector from the Quetta region.