ISLAMABAD: Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal was recalled by Pakistan for the six one-day internationals against New Zealand but experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf was overlooked on Wednesday.
Akmal was one of three cricketers, reportedly asked by the Pakistan Cricket Board, to submit details of bank accounts and assets from the last three years with the integrity committee, to remove themselves from any suspicion of spot-fixing. Akmal was then included in the preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup, but former captain Shoaib Malik and legspinner Danish Kaneria missed out.
All three haven’t played for Pakistan since the midyear tour of England.
Yousuf, included in the preliminary World Cup squad last week, was left out.
The PCB retained Shahid Afridi as the ODI captain in the 16-man squad while Misbah-ul-Haq will be vice-captain.
Misbah, leading Pakistan in the test series against New Zealand, featured in just two ODIs in 2010.
He was dropped from the ODI team after the Champions Trophy in 2009 but competed in two one-dayers against South Africa in October. After scoring 14 and 17 in Abu Dhabi, he was again dropped.
Experienced fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul will be supplemented by three other pacemen Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir and Tanvir Ahmed.
Opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad, 19, who played the last of his four ODIs against Australia in 2009, has also been recalled by the selectors with next month’s World Cup in mind.
The six-match ODI series begins at Wellington on Jan. 22.
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Tanvir Ahmed.
