ICC asks PCB not to include five suspected players in its WC squad
The Pakistan cricket team, already struggling to get back on the road of success, is expected to continue the on-the-field difficulties during next year’s prestigious World Cup event as it will be missing the services of its top five players
including the provisionally suspended trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and the emerging teenage pacer Mohammad Amir – with whom the side had attached a lot of expectation since his debut.
The sources have claimed that the apex governing body of cricket, the International Cricket Council, has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board not to consider its under-trial players for the 30-man preliminary squad for the 2011 ICC World Cup.
Salman Butt, along with the new-ball pair, was suspended by the ICC on 2nd of September following claims of spot-fixing set by a British tabloid News of the World against them.
The preliminary World Cup squads of 30 have to be finalized by the boards by 19th of December while the details of trimmed squad of final 15 must reach with the ICC by 19th of January next year. And with the suspended
trio already out of contention, the other two unfortunates - who are likely to miss the bus - are gloveman Kamran Akmal and the promising leg-spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314.
Sources also said that the chances of Malik making the World Cup squad are also quite gloomy. The former Pakistan captain is in good form after scoring three successive centuries in the ongoing domestic season of Pakistan cricket.
"There is 50-fifty chance of Malik making the preliminary squad but 95 % chance that Akmal and Kaneria are out of contention," said the hidden source.
The sources also claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board made ample efforts to get Akmal cleared but failed to get a favourable response from the apex body. The cricket hierarchy fears that the inclusion of suspected players might spoil
the mega cricketing event. And without getting an ICC clearance, the Pakistan board cannot include its players under suspicion.
All of the five names facing ICC’s restrictions are the senior and experienced players of the side, and their omission especially of Kamran Akmal, would be a huge set back for a http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 side without a backup wicketkeeper. Both Kaneria and
Akmal also missed the recently concluded tour of UAE for the neutral venue series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 and the board did not explain the reason behind their ouster.
In the absence of first choice Akmal, Zulaqarnain Haider was keeping the stumps for Pakistan but since he fled to London in the midst of UAE tour, the place behind the stumps has once again become a question mark. Another Akmal - Adnan Akmal
- has been drafted in to take the place of his elder brother but the question is, would the 25-year-old, who is yet to make his ODI debut, be able to face the pressure of the mega event if Kamran misses the spot?
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