LAHORE, Sept 3: Despite the absence of two top pacemen Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, who have been tearing apart the best sides of the world with their speed, guile and experience, a fairly strong and balanced 14-member Pakistan senior team was named hereon Thursday for the third Sahara Cup five-match cricket series against India starting at Toronto from Sept 12 to 20.
Test opener Aamer Sohail will lead the side while paceman Aaqib Javed will be his deputy. Javed Miandad is the coach of the team while Azhar Zaidi as manager and Dr Dan Kiesel as a physiotherapist.
The limited-over matches will be held on Sept 12, 13, 16, 19 and 20.
While announcing the team, PCB secretary Waqar Ahmad said that the names had been submitted by the national selection committee, headed by the former Test wicket keeper Wasim Bari, which included former Test opener Shafique Ahmad and Ex-Test all-rounder Salahuddin Ahmad. The team will leave Karachi for Toronto via Frankfurt on Sept 8.
Waqar Ahmad said that Saqlain Mushtaq would be released by his county Surrey on Sept 13 and he would proceed to Toronto on Sept 14.
Former Test captain and all-rounder Wasim Akram has not been released by his county Lancashire. In his benefit year, Wasim Akram is leading his county during this English season. Lancashire has bright chances of winning the English County Championship. Saqlain Mushtaq's Surrey was leading on points tableand was also in contention for the coveted honour.
Absence of the world-class pacemen Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis will surely be felt during the Sahara Cup. Saqlain Mushtaq will also be missed in the first two matches. Waqar Younis had problem in his right elbow and had to leave county Glamorganin the middle of this season. He had gone to Saudi Arabia to perform 'Umra' with his family. The PCB has not clarified whether he had been dropped by the selectors due to injury or any other reason!
The team includes three openers namely, Aamer Sohail, Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi. Skipper Aamer Sohail himself is a more-than-useful left-arm spinner. Shahid Afridi, besides being a swashbuckling batsman, is also a fine right-arm leg-spinner and should strengthen the spin department.
The spin-department will be spearheaded by right-arm leg-spinner and googly bowler Mushtaq Ahmad. In later part of the series, he will be joined by Saqlain Mushtaq, who has brought honour to Pakistan with his excellent off-break bowling many a time.
In the absence of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, the pace department will be manned by the experienced Aaqib Javed and young Muhammad Zahid, Azhar Mahmood and Abdul Razzaq. Incidentally, Azhar Mahmood has proved himself as an excellent, reliable batsman on more occasions than one while Abdul Razzaq is also a useful late-order batsman.
The team includes very fine middle-order batsmen Inzimam-ul-Haq, Salim Malik, Ejaz Ahmad Senior and Yousaf Yohanna. However, one feels sorry for the exclusion of Muhammad Wasim, who is also shaping into a reliable batsman. Salim Malik, who has been recaled after a lapse of about one year, will also strengthen the bowling department. He has proved his worth many times both in Tests and one-day internationals.
The members of the Pakistan teams are:
Aamer Sohail (captain), Aaqib Javed (vice-captain), Saeed Anwar, Inzimam-ul-Haq, Salim Malik, Yousaf Yohanna, Ejaz Ahmad Senior, Azhar Mahmood, Shahid Afridi, Mushtaq Ahmad, Abdul Razzaq, Muhammad Zahid, Moin Khan, and Saqlain Mushtaq.
Officials: Manager - Azhar Zaidi. Coach: Javed Miandad and Physiotherapist: Dr Dan Kiesel.