Malik makes a return to Pakistan squad

Malik was not part of the 19-member provisional Cup team and is at the centre of the betting and match-fixing scandal — though he has vehemently denied his involvement.

The inclusion of Malik, whose slow medium stuff could also be effective in English conditions, was also influenced by the indifferent showing of the middle-order batsmen in the Tri Series in India which Pakistan won convincingly on April 4.

Controversial opener and former skipper, Aamir Sohail, wasignored for the Cup team despite reports of strong pressure from Government circles and certain sections of PCB.

Malik, a veteran of 276 One-Dayers and 102 Test matches– highest by any Pakistani player– was not even in the 19 probables for the World Cup announced during the Asian Test Championship match against Sri Lanka at Lahore last month.

Incidentally Malik along with the current skipper, Wasim Akram and batsman Ijaz Ahmed had been indicted in the match-fixing and betting controversy by an internal enquiry by PCB earlier. The Government, however, later ordered a judicial probe into the allegations whose findings will be declared only after the World Cup.

The PCB was earlier scheduled to announce the team on April 4 but it delayed by two days as board officials wanted skipper Wasim Akram to attend the three-member selection committee meeting in Karachi.

The team after playing in the Sharjah tourney, where it will compete with India and England, will return home for a brief physical conditioningcamp.

The team will finally leave for England in early May, as according to World Cup schedule, all teams are to assemble there on May 3, he said.

Pakistan has been placed in Group-B along with Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Scotland and will play its opening match against West Indies at Bristol on May 16.

The Squad

Wasim Akram (capt), Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Wajahatullah Wasti, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Ijaz Ahmed, Salim Malik, Yousuf Youhana, Moin Khan (wk), Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis, Azhar Mehmood, Abdul Razzak.