Selection Committee names 25-man squad of probables for Australian tour by CricketArchive staff reporter

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Event:

Pakistan in Australia 2004/05

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Tuesday, Nov 17: A 25-man initial squad of probables for the Pakistan team's December 2004 tour to Australia was announced today by the Selection Committee Chairman, Wasim Bari.

 

While speaking about the probables, Bari said, "Kamran Akmal will be the only wicketkeeper on the Australian tour because Inzamam-ul-Haq is satisfied with his performance," and added, "Since we are looking to the future we must try Akmal on this tough tour."

 

It is expected that other players who have been performing well in domestic cricket may also be asked to attend the short camp starting next week.

 

"Pace bowlers Wasim Khan, Mohammad Irshad, Iftikhar Anjum, Mohammad Asif, Yasir Ali and Abdul Rauf have been performing well at domestic level so they are also given a chance," said Bari. In addition there are three uncapped players listed, batsmen Aamer Bashir, Ashar Zaidi and left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Khalil.

 

Fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed has also been invited after his recovery from a knee operation which had kept him out of cricket for three months.

 

The Pakistan team is to play three Tests and also be the third team in the one-day VB Series alongside Australia and West Indies. The first Test starts on December 16 at Perth.

 

Probables list: Salman Butt, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper, Danish Kaneria, Shabbir Ahmed, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Naved-ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi, Asim Kamal, Aamer Bashir, Riaz Afridi, Bazid Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Ashar Zaidi, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Faisal Athar, Mohammad Khalil.