The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to pick five squads for the upcoming One-Day Domestic Cup starting next month. Naqvi on August 26 in a press conference said that 80 per cent (120 players) of the players will be picked by AI whereas the selection committee will pick the rest 20 per cent (30 players). Naqvi is hopeful that the Champions Cup will help the management replace non-performers in the side.
"These 150 players that have been selected, 80% of it has been done by AI (Artificial intelligence), and 20% using humans. Nobody can challenge that. We gave about 20% weightage to our selection committee. If we replace a player with a worse one, you'll be the first to complain. We'll have records and we'll all be able to see transparently who deserves a place in the team," Naqvi told the reporters.
Naqvi further addressed the diminishing talent pool as an issue for the selection committee. He further said that domestic players in Pakistan did not have any data to their name, making the selection process of difficult.
"We had a lot of players for which we didn't have records. This Cup will make domestic cricket strong, we'll have a pool of 150 players, and then the surgery we need to be done, the selection committee will do. People said 'do it all today, slit the throats of four-five players, and get rid of them'. You can't dump someone unless you have a better one to replace them," the 45-year-old added.
Champions Cup
Naqvi also announced five mentors for the five unnamed domestic teams that will compete in next month's One-Day Cup. Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, and Waqar Younis have been given three-year contracts for mentor roles. The mentors were announced a day after Shan Masood-led Pakistan’s maiden Test win to Bangladesh in Rawalpindi which has led to widespread criticism.
"The Champions Cup will end in September, and then there will be records for everyone. Anyone who isn't performing will be immediately replaced. It shouldn't come down to anyone's individual opinions and wishes," the chairman concluded.
