U-19 team management has failed to explain the reasons for failure in the recently concluded U-19 World Cup. The chief selector and team manager have reportedly blamed the head coach Ijaz Ahmad for the team’s unsatisfactory performance at the knock-out stage. The head coach, who is being held responsible for the fiasco, has put the blame on the players.
PCB had formed an inquiry committee to find the errors in the junior team setup after Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals in the U-19 World Cup 2022. The committee summoned the head coach, chief selector, and manager to provide written statements individually. Reportedly, the chief selector has declared himself irreprehensible, revealing that the opening pair selected for the mega-event didn’t feature in the big match and the spinners were not utilized according to the plan.
The manager has also claimed to have no say in the planning and selection of the team prior to the matches. He told in his performance report that he was neither included in the team group nor was his opinion considered during planning.
According to sources, the U-19 head coach has declared the weak mental strength of players from backward regions as the reason behind poor performance in pressure situations. The inquiry committee including Faisal Hasnain, Nadeem Khan, and Zakir Khan, seemed unconvinced by the explanations.
Pakistan was eliminated from the U-19 World Cup 2021-22 staged in West Indies as they were defeated by Australia in the quarter-final.
