LAHORE – The Pakistan Cricket Board Tuesday announced the 15-member squad for the 2011 World Cup without naming captain. Star middle order batsman Mohamamd Yousuf was left out from the team.
The PCB will most likely wait till the completion of the ODI series against New Zealand to reassess the performance of Shahid Afridi.
However, Pakistan’s Test captain Misbahul Haq is one of the likely choices provided the PCB does not come under pressure from certain ‘influential quarters’ which have in the past dictated terms on political basis.
Afridi’s captaincy and his own performance have been under scanner since he took over the team’s charge. Misbah has silenced his critics with the bat and as a captain. He has five fifties to his credit in six innings.
“It sets a bad precedent because traditionally the captain is announced with the team,” Iqbal Qasim said, who remained the chairman of the selection committee for one year.
“Its creates misunderstanding among the players which is not good for the sport,” he said.
Chairman national selection committee Mohsin Hasan Khan announced the team for the World Cup after the approval of Chairman PCB Ijaz Butt. Although the 36 years old Yousuf was in the preliminary 30-member team but there were news that poor fitness was main reason for his omission. He also failed to win a place in the ODI team for the New Zealand series leaving dark clouds over his career.
Yousuf hung his shoes in protest last year after he was banned by the PCB following a disastrous tour of Australia in which Pakistan lost all matches under his leadership. But he returned to the game and was sent to England after his ban was revoked.
Yousuf also played the last of five one-day matches against South Africa in Pakistan home series in UAE in November before he was forced to pull out of the Tests due to a recurring groin injury. He has so far scored 9,720 runs in 288 one-day matches, including 386 in World Cup matches in 1999, 2003 and 2007.
Among the team there are only four survivors of 2007 World Cup team which included current one-day captain Afridi, senior batsman Younis Khan, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and pace bowler Umar Gul. Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar are the only survivors of Pakistan’s team in the 1999 tournament. Inzamam-ul-Haq led Pakistan crashed out in the preliminary rounds of the last World Cup held in the West Indies.
“Selectors have opted for a combination of youth and experience. There seniors and young players form a good combination,” said former Test off-spinner Tauseef Ahmed.
Pakistan will be without key players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer who were all provisionally suspended by the ICC on charges of spot-fixing during team’s tour to England last year. A decision on their case is due on February 5 and the PCB last week said they can be included in the team if absolved. “On the whole this is good team though it does not have fast bowlers Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif,” former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said.
Another player, Kamran Akmal, who was also under suspicion of match-fixing, was included after being reportedly cleared by the ICC, but all-rounder Shoaib Malik and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria failed to get clearance.
Misbah may lead Pakistan in Wold Cup – Heartbreak for Yousuf in squad sans skipper
