Cricket Update: ICC World Cup 2011- PCB announces the World-Cup squad, Captaincy spot still vacant
The PCB has announced its 15-men squad for the upcoming World-cup starting from the 19th of February 2011. Sri-Lanka, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 are going to jointly host the event.
The PCB however is yet to announce the captain and vice captain of the team for the World-cup. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482’s detrimental performance as captain of the team and the recent defeat in the T20 series against New Zealand has raised serious questions about his
role as a leader. Misbah-ul-Haq with his immaculate performance as test captain has come out to be a strong contender for the captaincy job. The fact that he has led the team from the front has tightened the noose further along Afridi’s neck.
Muhammad Yusuf, who was hoping to return to international cricket after being called back in the ODI series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755,
failed to impress the selectors on the grounds of match-fitness.
With his exclusion from the side, the only reliable option left for Pakistan in the middle-order is http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 who has been out of the ODI arena for almost a year. Asad Shafiq and Umer Akmal are inexperienced and their failure in the world-cup could cost
the team dearly.
Kamran Akmal was barred from playing in the last series against South Africa for mysterious reasons; the wicket-keeper batsman has made a comeback though his fellow Shoaib Malik failed to get clearance from the PCB.
Tanvir Ahmed who is touring http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 as part of the test team failed to make it to the 15-men squad and the selectors have stuck with Sohail Tanvir as the third seam option. The left-arm pacer has been out of the side for quite a long time and his form
with the ball is going to be a tester.
Aamer, Asif and Butt are still under suspension, the PCB commented that their clearance from ICC might lead to last minute inclusions in the world-cup squad.
The selectors have retained the same squad that it announced for the ODI series against New Zealand with the exception of Tanvir Ahmed.
Squad: Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal (wk), Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Ahmed Shehzad.
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