Pakistan announce World Cup 15

[King]

Pakistan announce World Cup 15 Shoaib, Asif and Gul in World Cup squad Osman Samiuddin February 13, 2007 Pakistan announced a 15-man squad for the World Cup shred of major surprises but seeped in uncertainty with the selection of three fast bowlers none of whom, for varying reasons, may make it to the Caribbean. After extensive deliberations, the PCB announced a squad that includes Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul. The announcement was delayed through the day as medical reports of the three players were examined, before finally the squad was unveiled in the afternoon. Of the trio, Shoaib and Asif are still under a cloud over the doping issue. Both players, like the rest of the squad, are due to undergo internal PCB drugs testing on February 17 and if, as experts fear, they still retain traces of Nandrolone, they are likely to face immediate bans. Salim Altaf, director operations, PCB, said that Shoaib and Asif are selected subject to clearance in the dope tests of which results are expected during the first week of March. "We will cross that bridge once the results come in," said Altaf of what happens if they do test positive again. Additionally, all three are carrying injuries. Shoaib has just flown to London to consult specialists about what could be a recurrence of the serious knee injury which kept him out of cricket for most of last year. Concerns about Asif's physical wellbeing are also enhanced, following a grueling workload during the current tour to South Africa. The niggle is a flare-up of the elbow troubles that forced him to miss three Tests in England last year. Gul missed the entire South Africa series with an ankle injury and though he maintains he is fit now, it has emerged that he was carrying a stress fracture which may or may not heal in time. Altaf added, "Shoaib and Gul are subject to clearance of injuries. We are having a second opinion on Shoaib in London because he has shown signs of wear and tear. As for Gul, enough time has elapsed now since he got the injury. He is bowling six overs with a full run-up and the panel feels he will be fit for the World Cup so he has been included in the team. If anyone is unfit he will be replaced." The Pakistan board has been assured by the ICC that injured players named in the squad can be replaced before the World Cup begins. Otherwise, the only eyebrow-raising selection is that of Danish Kaneria. The Karachi leggie, an integral component of Pakistan's Test team, has rarely been part of Inzamam-ul-Haq's ODI plans. He has only played 16 ODIs in a six-year career and since Inzamam and Bob Woolmer came together in June 2004, has appeared in only seven matches. Imran Nazir has also made a late burst into the squad, edging out the likes of Yasir Hameed and Imran Farhat for the opening slot. Nazir was recalled to the Pakistan side during the current ODI series in South Africa, having been out of favour for over two years. He returned in some style, scoring a blazing 39-ball 57 in Pakistan's win at Durban. And despite speculation, and mounting pressure on selectors to act, no wicketkeeping back-up is being taken for Kamran Akmal. Through the last year, Akmal has suffered a horrendous blip in form behind the stumps leading to suggestions, from Pakistan's chief selector no less, to rest him and groom an understudy. It hasn't happened and though Akmal has struggled as opener, his glovework in the ODIs against South Africa has shown some improvement. Azhar Mahmood, who made a surprise comeback to an injury-ravaged squad in South Africa, will not be given the chance to extend his fairytale return any further. With the nature of the injuries suffered by the fast bowlers, and those that Mohammad Sami and Shabbir Ahmed, as potential replacements, are suffering, a return cannot be entirely ruled out. Squad: 1 Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), 2 Younis Khan (vice-captain), 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Imran Nazir, 5 Mohammad Yousuf, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Abdul Razzaq, 8 Shahid Afridi, 9 Kamran Akmal, 10 Shoaib Akhtar, 11 Mohammad Asif, 12 Umar Gul, 13 Danish Kaneria 14 Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, 15 Rao Iftikhar Anjum

[King]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15 Salim Altaf, director operations, PCB, said that Shoaib and Asif are selected subject to clearance in the dope tests of which results are expected during the first week of March. "We will cross that bridge once the results come in," said Altaf of what happens if they do test positive again. That part is a bit dodgy. They are going to wait till about first week of March and then will figure out if they need to be part of the squad. Wonder if ICC is going to allow substitutes then. From what I know ICC allows replacements for injuries but not for doping. Do expect some drama and late minutes changes.

[Chandan]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15 Ravi, If you remember, in 2003 Shane Warne was replaced after the 1st match that Australia played in the WC against Pak because Warne was found positive that very morning.

[DesiChap]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15 Did Warne fail the ICC dope test or the Convicts administered the test ?

[MundaPakistani]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15 Excellent squad....i am very happy with it! Now if the "external" factors don't play a part then this team is in with a good chance of doing really well in the competition.

[yoda]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15

Excellent squad....i am very happy with it! Now if the "external" factors don't play a part then this team is in with a good chance of doing really well in the competition.

I hope you are not including "internally" consumed nandro as an "external" factor.

[DesiChap]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15

Excellent squad....i am very happy with it! Now if the "external" factors don't play a part then this team is in with a good chance of doing really well in the competition.

I hope you are not including "internally" consumed nandro as an "external" factor.

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

[apocalypse]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15 why was Azhar Mahmood and Sami dropped?

[Predator_05]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15

Excellent squad....i am very happy with it!

Your fellow countryman obviously disagrees...with good reason too !

The team being Pakistan a shambolic selection can still usher in a great run Hope and half a team Osman Samiuddin February 13, 2007 Click HERE for full article While the rest of the world was calmly pondering one or two positions in their World Cup squads, Pakistan was mulling over half a squad. Seven names could be guessed before the announcement but the rest? Injuries, doping, form all had the PCB delaying the announcement all through the afternoon. But like the legend of India's spin quartet, who only played one Test together, the strength of Pakistan's pace attack has also now become a partial myth. Their first-choice trio, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul are a dream together, figuratively and literally for they have never appeared together and are unlikely to do so, possibly ever. Because of their presence, this still remains a squad that isn't. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has been Pakistan's most incisive ODI bowler for nearly two years. Not to worry, for behind these four, every conceivable option...also appears to be crocked. The selectors have taken two gambits in Danish Kaneria and Imran Nazir, both brave but also eminently questionable. For what it's worth, Kaneria is an admirable, shrewd pick, a victory in the mini-battle of cricket thoughts for those who prefer specialists over bit-part, neither-fully-here-nor-fully-there allrounders. But he has so resoundingly not been part of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Bob Woolmer's ODI plans over the last two years that the move is, at its root, nothing more credible than a punt. He's played seven ODIs in the time since Woolmer took charge, only 16 ever and has not been part of any ODI squad for over a year. His will, and no little skill, may see him through but a punt is a punt is a punt. Abdur Rehman, the specialist spinner Pakistan did try and prepare for the tournament is dropped, one two-over hammering on the back of three very decent batches of ten overs reason enough apparently. Nazir's return is a racy decision; potentially it can be explosively good but you have to wonder about another man who hasn't been in your thinking until just recently sneaking in, essentially on the basis of one extraordinary innings in three years. By that stick, Yasir Hameed, who has dutifully made 41, 57, 71 and 41 in his last four ODIs spread over two years, should've been a shoo-in. It was worth a call too, what with Moin Khan offering to keep wickets for Pakistan again. Moin's offer, tragically funny as it was, did ram home another planning failure as reflected in this squad. There is no back-up to Kamran Akmal, who has had a year so shaky that Wasim Bari, chief selector and one-time gloved genius, said as recently as four ODIs ago that he needs a break. He wasn't given one, Zulqarnain Haider becoming less understudy, more non-existent. Pakistan will now hope that Akmal's slight upturn in wicketkeeping fortunes just recently continues for there is no one behind him. What these selections in particular say about Pakistan's planning over the last three years is similar to what Lord Mountbatten is reputed to have admitted years later about his role in the partition of the subcontinent: "I f****ed it up." --> LOL Add to this the fact that Shahid Afridi not available for the first two games, one of which is particularly vital, and Pakistan's prospects appear ever more precarious. Which is precisely why, of course, nobody will rule Pakistan out. It is at moments such as this, with squads as ravaged by controversies, scandals and injuries, that Pakistan, uniquely, can never be discounted as a threat. The build-up and run-in to 1992 wasn't this bad but it wasn't much better. Forget the plans and long-term vision, say selectors. We're winging it now, hoping and praying. At least we're used to it.

If you can't be bothered to read all that (you would be missing out, 'cos it's an superbly written piece) "We're winging it !" is the underlying theme behind the selection of this squad. hmmm...i don't know how this can inspire confidence in the p aki public. These selectors seem to make their picks in the same way Afridi bats - close your eyes, swing aimlessly, and hope it connects.

[MundaPakistani]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15 Hey Predator, I must admit that it is a very well written article and there are some points which i totally agree with e.g the point of the fitness of our fast bowlers who i feel are easily the most unfit lot in the world of cricket. .How ever you can't argue their inclusion in the team... U Gul is actually fairly close to regaining fitness while Shoaib might not get fit until the 2nd round but it's definitely worth the gamble to have him in the squad. After these top 3 there aren't many options. There is R Naved who can be extremely hot and cold but when he is hot he can be a genuine wicket taker so i don't see a problem in him being picked ahead of M Sami. D Kaneria selection might not have gone down too well with some fans but if Shoaib doesn't make it then we will need an attacking option in the middle of an innings and Kaneria seems to be the best man for the job. It was a mistake to keep him out of the ODI squad for this series and the one against the Windies but better late than never. I always feel that a leggie can always play a role in the team, just look at the last match where Banadara turned the match around by picking 2 crucial wickets in the middle of an innings so if Bandara can then why can't Kaneria? Now having said that all of that I feel bad for A Rehman but it's not like he had been performing for a years...he just made his debut in the last series vs WI so in the end it was always going to be tight. Imran Nazir over Y Hameed is also a brave move...had the World cup been in ENG or NZ then i would have gone with Y Hameed but in batting friendly conditions and with a strong middle order you can definitely afford to play a guy who is willing to take some chances in the power plays. Osman mentions that they have picked a guy simply based on 1 good innings in last 3 years yet he fails to state that in the last 3 years he hasn't been given any chances to showcase his form and talent at the highest level. A selector's job shouldn't be to merely look at the stat sheet and come with the squad.

[MundaPakistani]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15 An interesting thing to note is that there isn't a single left hander in the squad...i know Asif bats left handed and Inzi throws with the left hand but they both do their primary job as right handers.

[MundaPakistani]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15

Excellent squad....i am very happy with it! Now if the "external" factors don't play a part then this team is in with a good chance of doing really well in the competition.

I hope you are not including "internally" consumed nandro as an "external" factor.

:lmao: i knew some one would say that!

[MundaPakistani]

Re: Pakistan announce World Cup 15 Injuries and other "external" factors are something that the team mangement can't control at this time so it will wise to only concentrate on task at hand. So keeping that in mind the first thing that they should do is to plan the batting order, on one hand i would like to see Malik open but i also feel that he is a fairly good player of spin bowling and it might not be a bad idea to keep at number 6, so i am a bit undecided there.