KARACHI, Pakistan, CMC – Pakistan have axed three senior players from the One-Day International squad announced yesterday to face West Indies in the Caribbean later this month.
Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq, virtual fixtures in the side in recent year, have been overlooked in favour of younger players.
As expected, however, talismanic captain Shahid Afridi has been retained as skipper for the tour which comprises five One-Day Internationals and a single Twenty20 International.
“Basically we want to try out some new players on this tour,” said chairman of selectors Mohsin Khan.
Younis’ absence will be a huge void to fill for Pakistan, as the right-hander has scored 6213 runs from 221 ODIs at an average 32.19. He averages 50 in 67 Tests.
Razzaq, meanwhile, has scored over 5 000 runs and taken 267 wickets from 262 ODIs while Akmal, the first choice wicketkeeper, is a hard-hitting batsman with nearly 3 000 runs from 137 matches.
Leading fast bowler Umar Gul has withdrawn from the tour for personal reasons, leaving the side without one of the best ODI bowlers in the world.
“I wanted a break from cricket for a while so I requested the board to not consider me for the tour,” Gul said. “I had also informed the chief selector that I wanted to spend time with my family.”
The uncapped Mohammad Salman will take Akmal’s spot in the side accompanied by 20-year-olds Usman Salahuddin and Hammad Azam, both of whom are also yet to make their international debuts.
Pacer Aizaz Cheema, 31, and the 21-year-old Junaid Khan complete the rookies on tour.
The tour bowls off April 23 in St Lucia.
SQUAD – Shahid Afridi (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Taufiq Umar, Usman Salahuddin, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Hammad Azam, Aizaz Cheema, Mohammad Salman.
