Related Links : Younis Khan : Shoaib Akhtar : Pak Vs SL in Abu Dhabi
Pakistan have recalled seniors Younis Khan and Shoaib Akhtar for the upcoming tour of Scotland. Young opening batsman Salman Butt will be the Vice-Captain to the 15-man squad that is being led by Shoaib Malik. Salman Butt will be replacing Mohammad Asif who was Malik’s deputy for the Abu Dhabi Series. Pakistan play an ODI against Scotland at Edinburg on July 1st which is followed by an ODI against arch rivals India at Glasgow on July 3rd.
The Selectors have dropped all rounder Mohammad Hafeez, left arm quick Najaf Shah and left arm spinner Abdur Rehman. All these were part of the Pakistan Squad that beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in the Warid Cricket Series in Abu Dhabi last month. Both Younis Khan and Shoaib Akhtar had missed this series which was the first one played by Pakistan after their shocking World Cup campaign. Younis Khan had opted out because of his commitments with Nottinghamshire. Shoaib Akhtar was still out with a knee injury which has recovered now and is fit according to the Selectors.
Shoaib Akhtar’s last appearance for Pakistan in One Day Cricket was the 2006 England tour. Shoaib along with Mohammad Asif was forced out of the Champions Trophy because of taking drugs. A career threatening ban which was put by the Pakistan Cricket Board was scrapped and he did return for the South African tour but a hamstring injury brought him down. Shoaib Akthar missed the World Cup and the other series that followed because of an injury and finally he is back on his feet for Pakistan. The World’s fastest bowler has played in just 133 ODIs and 43 Tests in a career that began ten years back! Pakistan fans will certainly feel that Shoaib has been an under performer as he has been stuck with 169 Test wickets and 208 ODI wickets!
Pakistan Squad : Imran Nazir, Salman Butt (Vice-Captain), Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal (Wicket Keeper), Shoaib Malik (Captain), Yasir Hameed, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Sami, Umar Gul, Iftikhar Anjum, Mohammad Asif, Fawad Alam, Shoaib Akhtar