Dubai: Senior players Wahab Riaz, Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad have not been summoned by the Inzamam-ul-Haq led selection committee for the final fitness tests being conducted ahead of World Cup squad selection. The PCB on Thursday, released a list of 23 probables, who have been invited for the two-day fitness tests scheduled on April 15 and 16th at the National Cricket Academy after consultations between chief selector, Inzamam-ul-Haq and head coach Mickey Arthur.
Akmal, who followed up a brilliant 136 with another innings of 99 in the Pakistan National One-day Cup on Thursday, has surprisingly not been invited to take the fitness tests. The middle order batsman was recalled for the ODI series against Australia last month after being left out in the cold for more than two and half years. Strangely the selectors have invited another middle order batsman, Asif Ali for the fitness tests although the batsman was dropped for the ODI series against Australia.
Other notable omissions from the fitness test are left arm pacer Wahab Riaz, who had a five-wicket haul in the National Cup on Wednesday and opener Shehzad, who impressed with four half centuries in the last five matches of the PSL, including the final. The selectors have kept faith with all six players who were rested for the Australia series while senior all-rounder, Muhammad Hafeez has also been asked to appear for the fitness trials. Arthur has said that there will be no compromises made on fitness of any player while selecting the World Cup squad.
23 Pakistan Probables: Sarfaraz Ahmed (Capt), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Muhammad Abbas, Muhammad Aamir, Muhammad Hafeez, Muhammad Hasnain, Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik, Usman Khan Shinwari and Yasir Shah.
—The PCB also confirmed that the final World Cup squad would be announced on 18th April with the Pakistan team departing on 23rd for England.
