The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a few unexpected decisions while announcing its final squad of 15 for the ICC World Twenty20 in England in June.
Firstly, the board rejected three players who played for the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Abdul Razzaq, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Imran Nazir were included as reserves in its preliminary squad, but dropped from the final 15. The cricketers were hoping to make a comeback in the national circuit, and had vowed to end their ICL contracts, but no avail.
The board has also included two uncapped players in the team: Mohammad Aamer (a left arm pacer) and Shahzaib Hasan (an opener). Aamer displayed a very strong performance in the first class domestic season, taking 56 wickets in 10 games for Rawalpindi. He was part of the U-19 World Cup, but his run there was cut short by an illness. But he has been one of the most striking young cricketers this season. Hasan too has been much talked about. His debut for Karachi saw him scoring 607 runs in ten matches. In ODI cricket, his strike rate has been an astonishing 96.11.
However what was really unanticipated was that selectors favored Shoaib Akhtar despite his poor, flavourless performances against Australia earlier this year. Shoaib will lead the pace attack along with Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Arafat and Aamer. It is quite surprising that Rao Iftikhar Anjum, who was a leading wicket taker for Pakistan all of last year was not considered for the final 15. In the last one year he took 21 wickets in 14 games. But his poor show in the UAE was what ultimately cost him his place.
The team consists of many all-rounders like Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and Fawad Alam, but Saeed Ajmal is the only specialist spinner. Teenager Ahmed Shehzad, who impressed with a prodigious debut against Australia in UAE also found a slot in the final squad. Younis Khan will captain the team.
After ending up as runners-up at the same tournament last year, against India, Pakistan is hoping to take their efforts one step further and win the cup.
The Squad: Younis Khan (Capt.), Salman Butt, Ahmed Shehzad, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wk), Fawad Alam, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Yasir Arafat, Saeed Ajmal, Shahzaib Hasan.
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