KARACHI: Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik on Wednesday expressed disappointment at being dropped from Twenty20 and Test squads against New Zealand, clamouring for answers from the cricket board.
Pakistan has announced separate squads for three Twenty20 matches and two Tests against New Zealand ahead of their tour, which starts later this month. Kamran, Malik, senior batsman Mohamad Yousuf and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria were left out.
A separate squad will be announced for six one-day internationals.
Chief selector Mohsin Khan said Kamran, Malik and Kaneria – all under suspicion of spot or match-fixing – had not been cleared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Yousuf was left out for lack of fitness, he said.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly issued notice to Kamran over alleged match-fixing during Pakistan’s shock defeat against Australia in January’s Sydney Test.
Pakistan cricket has been rocked by mounting allegations of fixing since the August Test against England at Lord’s.
Kamran, however, claimed he had been cleared of any corruption.
“I am disappointed at being left out, because I passed an email from the ICC to the PCB last month which cleared my name for selection, so I should know why my name was excluded,” Kamran, 28, told AFP from the town of Sialkot.
Kamran’s name was mentioned in footage aired by Pakistan’s largest channel Geo on Tuesday, with alleged bookmaker Mazhar Majeed claiming he was among seven players obeying his orders during matches.
Kamran admits Majeed was his marketing agent but denied that he had been involved in any wrongdoing.
“Majeed has been a Pakistani players’ agent. He was Inzamam-ul-Haq’s agent, Yousuf’s agent and an agent for several other players, including Umar Gul and Salman Butt. But I have never been involved in any wrongdoing,” said Kamran.
Kamran said he still has hopes of playing for Pakistan.
“I am performing well at first-class level, so I still hope to play for Pakistan in the one-day series against New Zealand and then in next year’s World Cup,” said Kamran.
Malik also told AFP he was disappointed at being excluded. “I am really disappointed,” he said. “I have performed well in the domestic season.”
Malik hit two hundreds in domestic matches last month.
“Throughout my 11-year career I have never been involved in any wrongdoing and was not even in the team when all those (fixing) allegations were levelled,” said Malik.
He played in neither the Sydney Test nor against England at Lords.
