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Pakistan team arrives in Colombo
The main attraction in the Pak team was Shoaib Akhtar, whose berth to Sri Lanka was not certain.
Pakistani cricket team arrived in the Sri Lankan capital to take part in the six-nation Asia Cup that includes Islamabad's arch rival, India.
Six teams — Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong — will contest the Asia Cup between July 16 to August 1.
The main attraction in the Pakistani team was fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, whose coming to Sri Lanka was not certain. Akhtar joined the Pakistani training camp on July 5 and went through a strenuous fitness test.
Opening batsman Imran Nazir also returned to the national squad after a nine-month break dating to the South African tour of Pakistan in October 2004.
Vice captain Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and wicketkeeper-batsman Moin Khan form a strong middle-order batting lineup while the paceman Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammad Sami will supplement Akhtar in the pace department. Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Malik are the two all-rounders.
Pakistan plays Bangladesh in their first match on Saturday.
Squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Yousuf Youhana, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Moin Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria.
