Inzamam sees healthy competition in National T20 Cup

LAHORE, Aug 10 (APP): Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said on
Thursday that he anticipates quality and challenging cricket
during the national T20 Cup as the best combination regional
teams have been selected through drafting.
Talking to the reporters after drafting of the National T20
Cup here at a local hotel, Inzamam said: “Coaches, captains and
selectors have put in their best efforts to make best combinations
and teams and I look forward healthy and enthralling competition
ahead.”
Senior players are inducted in great numbers in the National
T20 Cup to make the teams balanced, he added.
When asked whether junior players should be given preference
to the seniors in this event to find out future stars for the
national team, Inzamam said: “Yes, this suggestion needs to be
pondered over, and we must prefer juniors and upcoming players
to the seniors. Young players are more energetic and passionate,
and they perform more enthusiastically in the Twenty20 format.
So we should surely think about it and try to get in more and
more juniors in this event.”
Reportedly during the drafting, Inzamam got angry at the
selection of a player for Lahore Blues team. When the chief
selector was asked about it, he said: “I, being the chief selector,
see the things differently. I don’t want youngsters in a team,
where already there are great players, as it will deprive them
of exhibiting their prowess properly and they won’t be able to
perform in a better way. So that’s why, I wanted each region
selects a balanced team, where every young and upcoming player
gets the best chance to prove their mettle and excel.”
When asked whether to retain the Champions Trophy winning
combination for the Sri Lanka series or the top performers of
this National T20 will also be considered for the upcoming series,
the chief selector said: “Whenever a player performs very well
in a national tournament, we can’t take him to the national team
very next day. We need to observe top performers for at least
one year, and if they succeed in giving consistent performances,
then they must be considered for the national team.
“And secondly, if during the series, we need a player, then
we will have a very good back-up and in that case, we can surely
give the top performers a transparent chance in the national
team,” he added.
To another query he said: “Thanks God, we have won the
Champions Trophy. All credit goes to boys, who performed very
well and succeeded in earning the great feat. This victory boosted
the team’s morale and it will help the players improve their game
and give out their best, so that the team may continue giving
consistent performances.”
Inzamam also reminded the players to forget about the past
victory and continue working hard for the upcoming series. “As
the competition is very tough in the team, the players have to
work really hard to maintain their place in the team. We have
very good back-up in shape of young performers, who are capable
of replacing any senior, so everyone needs to do well and try
to make the team number one.”