 Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf playing for an Asia XI in June |
Pakistan have ignored Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan in their squad for the ICC World Twenty20. The experienced pair miss out, while Yasir Arafat, a member of the Kent side which won the Twenty20 Cup in Birmingham last Saturday, is included.
Batsman Misbah-ul-Haq wins a recall, meanwhile, and all-rounder Fawad Alam, with just one cap, is also named.
As expected, controversial pace duo Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar will lead the fast-bowling cortege.
Explaining the decision to do without Yousuf and Razzzaq, chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said Twenty20 cricket was more suited to younger players and needed agile fielders.
He said: "These two remain our most experienced performers and will
top our list when we sit down to pick the teams for the home
Test series against South Africa."
Neither Yousuf nor Razzaq have yet signed new central contracts offered to them by
the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Both are said to have been made lucrative offers by the organisers of the new Indian Cricket League.
Pakistan squad: Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Asif, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar, Yasir Arafat, Abdul Rehman.
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