LAHORE: Pakistan’s spin maestro Saeed Ajmal was back in the national team for all three formats as Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) newly-appointed selection committee announced the squads for the Bangladesh series.
All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was also back in all three squads despite not clearing a bowling test yet. There was no room for Umar Akmal in any of the formats while opening batsmen Ahmed Shehzad was included only in the T20 side.
Talking to reporters in Lahore, chief selector Haroon Rashid said tour reports by the team management following the World Cup were closely monitored before deciding on the players to represent Pakistan.
“World Cup performance was also taken into account for the squad selection. The dropped players must prove themselves according to the merit devised by the PCB,” Rashid said.
“A clear message is conveyed to the players that Pakistan comes first … Management is not going to compromise on discipline,” he said.
“Bangladesh series would be our first assignment. We are looking forward and are working on a four-year plan. Currently our ranking is poor, we are at number 7 in One-Day Internationals and excelling in this format is our priority,” Rashid said.
“The Committee would back all the players performing in the domestic circuit or at international level and we are independent of any influence,” the chief selector said.
Pakistan’s squad for Bangladesh series:
Test: Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Sami Aslam, Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali.
ODI: Sami Aslam, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Azhar Ali (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Sohail, Sohaib Maqsood, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Ehsan Adil and Sohail Khan.
T20: Ahmed Shehzad, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Hafeez, Mustar Ahmed, Sohaib Maqsood, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Rizwan, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi (c), Sohail Tanvir, Saad Nasim, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Umar Gul and Junaid Khan.(agency)