The national selection committee discussed the credibility of the probables ahead of the critical three-match ODI series against the West Indies which starts in Sharjah on September 30.
The fast-bowling duo of Mohammad Irfan and Umar Gul have not been included in the squad, with Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan and Hassan Ali left to fight for the four pace slots.
Pakistan need to beat West Indies by a 3-0 margin to qualify for the 2019 ICC World Cup by improving their ICC ODI rankings, with the team currently in the ninth spot; behind the visitors.
Chief Selector Inzamamul Haq is expected to travel to the UAE today and announce the team after a final consultation with head coach Mickey Arthur this week.
Amir, Wahab and Hassan are almost certain to be selected barring a last-minute change after Inzamam’s consultation with Arthur, meaning that Rahat and Sohail are vying for the final spot.
Opener Khalid Latif is likely to be rewarded for his consistent T20 form with a spot in the ODI squad.
After the retention of Azhar Ali as captain, the selectors have been in search of firepower at the top of the innings but other than the odd change, the batsmen who played against England are set for another run.
Umar Akmal can also earn a recall in ODIs but like Latif may have to prove himself in the T20I series.
Keeping in mind the historical weakness of the Caribbean batsmen against quality spin, the selectors are searching for backup options for leg-spinner Yasir Shah who is expected to play a prominent role in both the ODIs and the Tests.
The leg-spinning duo of Shahzaib Khan and Mohammad Irfan are among the quartet of spinners and have both been on the selectors’ radar for some months. They therefore have an outside chance of being called up to the national side.
