LAHORE — Pakistan’s new selectors Monday dropped star players Shahid Afridi, Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal from next month’s tour of England, stressing there would be no compromises after the country’s disastrous exit from the World Twenty20 in India.
Former Afghanistan coach Inzamamul Haq, who is heading up the newly formed selection committee as part of wholesale changes following last month’s tournament humiliation, announced 35 players would attend boot camp starting in Kakul from May 14 to June 4.
He said Afridi — who announced he would continue playing the Twenty20 format after resigning as captain in the wake of the event — needed to perform in domestic matches.
“Since we are playing only four Twenty20 matches this year we want to give new players a chance, and that will also allow Afridi to rest and perform in domestic matches,” Inzamam said at a news conference in Lahore.
As for Shehzad and Umar, he said: “The selection committee will not compromise on discipline.”
Shehzad was declared best batsman of the Pakistan Cup one-day tournament which ended Sunday, scoring 372 runs, but along with Umar has been involved in various disciplinary breaches.
Former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis — who resigned in early April — had also recommended dropping Shehzad and Umar.
Spot-fixing convict Salman Butt was also not selected.
“Butt has not played four-day cricket since his ban was lifted so we need to assess him in longer formats before selecting him,” said Inzamam.
Pakistan will play four Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 international on a two-month long tour of England.
Squad for boot camp: Mohammad Hafeez, Sami Aslam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Shan Masood, Younis Khan, Misbahul Haq, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Malik, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Khalid Latif, Fawad Alam, Akbar-ur-Rehman, Asif Zakir, Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Mohammad Amir, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Hasan Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Adnan Akmal, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Asgher, Imad Wasim, Bilal Asif, Zohaib Khan.
Former England coach Peter Moores, meanwhile, has turned down an opportunity to succeed Younis as the new Pakistan coach, the 53-year-old Englishman said.
“I was hugely flattered to be approached,” Moores, currently a consultant with Nottinghamshire, told ESPNcricinfo. “And I was very tempted by such a prestigious role with an exciting team.
“But having thought about it deeply, I don’t think it is the right time for me or my family. I have committed myself to a consultancy role with Nottinghamshire and I am enjoying spending time with my kids as they grow up.”
KPK wins Pakistan Cup
A blistering ton by Fakhar Zaman and ruthless bowling by Yasir Shah led Younis Khan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) side to claim the inaugural Pakistan Cup title as it beat Punjab by a 151 runs in the final played at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad Sunday.
It was all smiles at the end for Younis, who has been under fire of late.
KPK started off the match on the trot as openers Ahmed Shehzad and Fakhar Zaman went on to the put up a mammoth partnership of 118 before the former was stumped by Punjab wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for 62 (45).
Zaman continued till the 33rd over putting on almost run-a-ball 115.
The southpaw’s innings also included a 52-run partnership with Younis, who contributed 49 to lead KPK to 311-9.
The KPK bowlers started aggressively as pacer Ziaul Haq trapped former Pakistan captain Salman Butt lbw in the second over of the Punjab innings and the misery continued for the Shoaib Malik-led side as wickets kept falling in quick successions.
Malik himself, along with seasoned names of Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Rizwan failed to contribute enough to avoid defeat.
Yasir Shah, who recently returned to cricket after a three-month doping ban bagged three wickets bowling at an economy rate of just 3.18 runs per over. — Agencies
