Kamran Akmal faced the axe from the selectors on Tuesday as he could not find a space for himself on the upcoming tour of New Zealand that Pakistan will be embarking on.
Embattled former Pakistani batsman and all rounder Shoaib Malik was also left out of the squad despite showing an aggressive form with the bat in the recently concluded Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Muhammad Yousuf also could not find a spot on the squad due to a
recurring groin injury. Leg spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314, who had been selected for the Test series against South Africa in the UAE but was never allowed to join the team, also got the axe.
The PCB has drafted in Adnan Akmal, the brother of Kamran Akmal as the wicket keeper for the upcoming tour after he made his debut against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 in the UAE.
Meanwhile Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi have been retained as Test and T20 captains respectively. The PCB selection committee still has to announce the squad for the One Day Internationals. Pakistan will play six One Day Internationals, two Tests, and
three T20 matches on their tour to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Auckland-c766 on the 23
December.
Ahmed Shahzad has made a comeback to the top order at the cost of Imran Farhat. Muhammad Sami also had to face the music after his lacklustre performance against South Africa in the UAE.
Kamran Akmal was dropped from the squad that was drafted in to play the series against South Africa in the UAE after he underwent an appendicitis operation.
Prior to that, a lot of questions were raised about his wicket keeping abilities on the tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746. In response to Kamran Akmal’s inability to represent Pakistan against South Africa, Zulqarnain Haider was given a chance to make a mark for himself
but he deserted the team and later resurfaced in London.
In his absence, the task of glove work was given to Kamran Akmal’s brother Adnan Akmal who impressed the selectors with his skills behind the wicket on tour and got the selectors’ nod to proceed on the tour of New Zealand as Pakistan’s wicket-keeper.
Kamran Akmal had earlier shown his eagerness on making it back to the team for the tour of New Zealand. He raked 530 runs at an unbelievable average of 75.71 runs in the domestic tournament. His last four innings read 78, 60, 268 and 103 respectively.
However despite his amazing performance in the domestic season, he was not found to be on merit to deserve a specialist batsman spot on the team like he had requested. Shoaib Malik too was impressive with the bat as he scored a century in each innings of
his match while playing for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-International-Airlines-c831 in the domestic season.
PCB’s selection committee have yet to decide the squad for the One Day Internationals on the upcoming tour of New Zealand, and a preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup. Given Akmal’s recent devastating form, he is a sure shot for both. In the spinning
department, the Committee stuck to Abdur Rehman who also showed promise with the bat, and Saeed Ajmal to be the standard bearers for Pakistan.
Pakistan team looks set to offer a lot of problems for the Kiwis after their spirited show in the Test against South Africa. With the return of Younis Khan, and the form of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972, along with the rock-solid Azhar Ali in the middle order, it appears
as if Pakistan’s middle order has gotten some of its lost spark back.
Here’s a look at teams for the two squads:
Twenty20 squad: http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shahzad, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Adnan Akmal (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz.
Test squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz.
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