Mudassar for 15-player camp

Pakistan coach Mudassar Nazar hopes that the training camp for this month's Sharjah Cup would only be attended by the players who would be proceeding to the desert city.

"I feel this because I don't think that the Patron's Trophy should be disturbed. The competition level and standard of this tournament, with the appearance of star players, has regained its attraction and it would be unwise if we call two dozen odd boys for the camp and take the gloss of the event by weakening the respective teams," Mudassar said from Lahore.

The PCB are planning to organize a training camp from Oct 15, a strange decision considering the fact that all the frontline boys are taking active part in the first-class competition. The tournament is keeping them in form and providing the much required match practice. Mudassar agreed that there was no substitute for match practice but opined that the camp was necessary since he has just been appointed coach and hasn't seen the players much.

"I don't agree to the theory of organizing training camp when the players are already playing in domestic season. But the scenario is different because I haven't seen the boys nor the new boys know me much. In the training camp besides practice, we would develop coordination and understanding which is so vital," he said. "Had I been incharge for a long time, I would have opposed holding any camp. Then I would have suggested to the PCB to invite the boys a week before the team was scheduled to leave," he said.

The Pakistan team for Sharjah leaves Oct 25 and play their opener on Oct 27. Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe are the other teams in the double league event. Mudassar said he has been advised by the PCB to submit his 15-man team in consultation with skipper Waqar Younis. The former Test allrounder said he would be talking to Waqar Saturday to discuss the likely players.

"The selection committee is the supreme body and it will be them who will have the final say over the composition of the squad. I think we have been asked to submit our team just to involve us and assess our requirements." In Karachi, chairman of selectors Wasim Bari said he has not been asked by the PCB to submit probables or the 15-man squad. "There are no instructions at the moment."

The former captain also put his weight behind the standard of Patron's Trophy saying the players should be asked if they wanted to play in the first-class competition or attend the training camp. "We can submit the players in the shortest available time because we have complete knowledge about our players, Sharjah conditions and the opponents. Besides, we (selectors) are in constant touch with each other."