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Shoaib in Pakistan squad for Asia Cup
Pakistan on Wednesday announced a 14-member team to defend its title in the Asia Cup event due to start in Sri Lanka on July 16.
Pakistan on Wednesday announced a 14-member squad for the defence of its Asia Cup crown due to start in Sri Lanka next week.
Fiery pacer Shoaib Akhtar has been included in the team to spearhead Pakistan's Asia Cup title defence after recovering from a rib injury sustained in the April series against India.
Rivals India, hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong also feature in the event from July 16-August 1, last held in 2000 and won by Pakistan.
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong are placed in group A while India, Sri Lanka and the UAE are in group B.
Two teams from each group will qualify for the single league of four teams, with the top two teams meeting in the final.
"We have announced the team after discussion with captain Inzamam-ul Haq and coach Bob Woolmer and believe that this side has the capability to defend the Asia Cup," chief selector of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Wasim Bari told AFP.
"Pakistan's coach Bob Woolmer assessed Akhtar's fitness in the training camp and conveyed that he is ready to spearhead Pakistan's attack in the Asia Cup," Bari said.
Akhtar's injury — which came in the decisive Rawalpindi Test of the series which Pakistan lost to India — was seen as suspicious and was examined by a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) medical commission.
The PCB let him off with a warning saying the tests conducted remained inconclusive.
Middle order batsman Younis Khan and opener Imran Nazir earned recalls but fast rising pacer Umer Gul was left out after he failed to regain full fitness from a back injury sustained in the series against India.
"Everybody had to learn from his mistakes and we hope that this young team learns from theirs in the home series against India," said Bari.
Pakistan lost both the one-day and Test series against India, their first defeats in both forms of the game on home soil against the arch rivals which resulted in coach Javed Miandad's termination.
Team: Inzamam-ul Haq (captain), Yousuf Youhana (vice-captain), Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, Rana Naveedul Hassan.
Bob Woolmer (coach), Haroon Rasheed (manager), Murray Stevenson (trainer).
