IPL performance won't be considered, says PCB's chief selector

KARACHI: As the inaugural IndianPremier League is inching towards the climax, the Pakistan Cricket Board hasmade it clear that they will not consider players' performance in the IPL whileselecting the national squad for the tri-nation series in Bangladesh next month."We are not going to consider the players' showing in the IPL,"chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed told here. Ahmed said the 15-member side to be picked up"purely on merit" ignoring Pakistan cricketers' performance in the ongoingTwenty20 tournament. "This is because we believe that Twenty20 is adifferent ball game and you can't compare it to proper One-Day Internationalswhere you have to play 50-over games," Ahmed said. The tri-nationseries, involving hosts Bangladesh and India, will begin on June 8 and all thematches will be played in Dhaka. Interestingly, young pacer SohailTanvir, playing for Rajasthan Royals, is among the best bowlers of the IPL withan enviable economy rate of 5.97. Other than Tanvir, most of theother Pakistani players, including captain Shoaib Malik (Delhi Daredevils), havefailed to make their mark in the IPL.