Thaindian News

Karachi, Apr.8 (ANI): Worried over the lack of good back up players, Pakistan cricket’s chief selector Mohsin Khan is planning to build up a strong second league of players who could be pressed into national duty in an emergency.

Khan, while pointing out that the recent poor form of the national team was due to the poor bench strength, said he would be recalling all those players for a training camp, who have been sidelined in the past.

“We are facing such turmoil in the game because of the fact that we don’t have an effective back-up of players. I see the scarcity of a strong back-up as the main problem due to which our team is suffering. The prominent players sniffing no threat from players in the back-up, their behaviour turned hegemonic which has proved disastrous for the team,” Khan said.

He said that a competitive back-up team would ultimately put pressure on senior players to perform and take their job seriously.

“They would get to know that if they do anything wrong or fail to perform they would be replaced immediately.Only a high level of competition among players would make them perform which could only be achieved by having an effective back-up of players,” The Dawn quoted Khan, as saying.

Commenting on the absence of all-rounder Shoaib Malik and former captain Younis Khan from the squad for the ICC T20 World Cup, he said it will affect the team’s performance but there are players who could fill in the gap.

“Of course, their absence will be felt by the team but the side would cover it up as there are other good players in the team who could fill the gap,” he said.

Khan also said that he would consider recalling former Mohammad Yousuf and Younis if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lifts the indefinite ban imposed on them and declare them available for selection. (ANI)