Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan cricket selectors, headed by former Test captain Inzamamul Haq, on Saturday recalled experienced opener Azhar Ali but dropped opener Ahmad Shahzad and all-rounder Imad Wasim from a 15-member national squad named for the one-day international series in New Zealand next month. Shahzad failed to impress against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates last month. Pakistan won all five ODIs against Sri Lanka, but go into the five-match New Zealand series having lost eight of their last 11 ODI series. Usman Shinwari, who had rattled the Sri Lankan batting in the aforementioned ODI series, was already out of contention due to a back injury. The PCB had initially called up 18 probables for a fitness test before finalising the squad.

“All-rounders Aamir Yamin and Mohammad Nawaz have made the squad for the ODI series but middle-order batsman Sohaib Maqsood and pacer Junaid Khan missed out after failing fitness tests,” chief selector Inzamam told media. “Azhar makes a comeback after being rested against Sri Lanka and having regained full fitness. Junaid has been ruled out due to a fracture in his right foot. Doctors have advised him a six-week rest.” Regarding Imad’s omission, he added: “Imad is again feeling discomfort in his knee. He has been told to work on his fitness at the National Cricket Academy.” The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Nawaz, who last played an ODI in January, comes into the squad as a like-for-like replacement for Imad. Yamin, 27, emerged into national contention when he scored 700 runs at 58.33 and took 32 wickets at 24.18 in the 2013-14 season. Yamin then impressed in the national T20 tournament when he struck 45 off 20 balls for Multan Region against Karachi Blues in the semi-final in 2015 and was subsequently picked in Pakistan’s ODI side for the Zimbabwe tour. He wasn’t as impressive in international cricket, but continued to make steady progress in the domestic circuit.

The Sarfraz Ahmed-led side for the series down under also includes Mohammad Hafeez, who was recently barred from bowling by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to an illegal bowling action but maintains batting prowess. “Hafeez is a good batsman; the PCB is making efforts to correct his bowling action. We kept the conditions in New Zealand in mind and the recent performances of some players in the domestic tournament,” Inzamam maintained. Inzamam further said the current year had been a great one for Pakistan cricket and also expressed hope that Pakistan’s stadia would soon get more international cricket. Pakistan’s first ODI against New Zealand is in Wellington on January 6. The two sides will also play three Twenty20s, for which Pakistan will make a separate squad announcement.

Pakistan squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Aamer Yamin, Rumman Raees.

Published in Daily Times, December 24^th 2017.