Karachi: Pakistan cricket selectors on Tuesday recalled ace fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to a 21-man training camp ahead of next month's triangular series in Sri Lanka, a statement said.
Akhtar was one of eight regular players axed following Pakistan's first round exit from the World Cup held in February-March in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. "The selection committee has invited 21 players for the camp set to start from Wednesday," the PCB said. The 27-year-old, known as the Rawalpindi Express, was a major disappointment in the World Cup as Pakistan lost three of its five matches and was eliminated in the first round. Vice-captain Inzamam-ul Haq was the other axed player who featured in trial matches ahead of the selection but despite scoring a half-century was ignored. Pakistan's captain in the World Cup Waqar Younis, pacer Wasim Akram, openers Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi and all-rounder Azhar Mahmood - all axed after the World Cup - were not invited for trial matches. While Wasim, Afridi and Mahmood are playing county cricket in England, Waqar and Anwar are contemplating their future after refusing to retire. Besides host nation Sri Lanka and Pakistan, New Zealand is the third team in the triangular event to be held from May 10-23. Pakistan's revamped team under Rashid Latif as skipper and Javed Miandad as coach won a tri-nation event in Sharjah earlier this month.
Pakistan training squad: Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Faisal Athar, Yasir Hameed, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Faisal Iqbal, Naved Latif, Misbah-ul-Haq, Farhan Adil, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Rashid Latif (captain), Danish Kaneria, Qaiser Abbas, Umer Gul, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmad, Mansoor Amjad, Jaffar Nazir.
Copyright AFP 2001 Extras:Pak seniors shown the door in a major revamp
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