Naved and Nazir recalled to Pakistan squad by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	Naved-ul-Hasan, Imran Nazir, Shoaib Akhtar
Event:	Pakistan in Sri Lanka 2009

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DateLine: 22nd July 2009

 

Pakistan has left out Shoaib Akhtar from the 30-man preliminary squad for this year's Champions Trophy after the controversial pacer failed to prove his fitness last week. The 33-year-old was also omitted from a 16-man One-day squad for a five-match series against Sri Lanka starting next week.

 

Former ICL recruits pacer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and opener Imran Nazir have been recalled to Pakistan's one-day international squad after two years. Naved and Nazir have become the third and fourth Pakistan players to make comebacks to the national team after cutting ties with the unofficial ICL. Nazir's inclusion has come at the expense of Salman Butt, whose poor form has been a serious concern for the Pakistan management. However Butt, along with the rest of the squad, has been named in Pakistan's 30-man probables for the Champions Trophy.

 

Mohammad Asif, was included as his one-year ban expires on September 22, the start of the Champions Trophy in South Africa. The ban was imposed after the 26-year-old failed a dope test in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League last year. Asif will be eligible to play in Pakistan's opening match against the West Indies on September 23.

 

Handed a maiden international call-up for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka which starts at the end of this month is Umar Akmal - younger brother of wicketkeeper Kamran - who scored heavily on Pakistan A's tour of Australia recently.

 

The opener Nasir Jamshed and medium-pacer Rao Iftikhar Anjum, who were not at the World Twenty20, have retained their ODI spots from the series against Australia in the UAE. The ODI series in Sri Lanka will begin on July 30.

 

The biennial Champions Trophy will be held in South Africa from September 22 to October 5, having been moved out of Pakistan over security fears.

 

The top eight countries -- Australia, England, South Africa, India, Pakistan, the West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand -- are due to take part in the Trophy, which was first held in 1998.

 

Pakistan's preliminary squads will be trimmed to 15 next month.

 

Squad for Sri Lanka ODIs : Younis Khan (capt), Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamer, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Rao Iftikhar Anjum.

 

Champions Trophy probables : Younis Khan (Captain), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Azhar Ali, Imran Nazir, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Amin, Umer Akmal, Sheharyar Ghani, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Rana Naveed, Yasir Arafat, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamir, Abdul Rauf, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Talha, Sohail Tanveer, Rao Iftikhar, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Hafeez.