Malik, Sohail axed from World Cup squad

LAHORE, MARCH 7: Pakistan cricket selectors today surprisingly dropped veteran Salim Malik and outspoken former opener Aamir Sohail from ...

LAHORE, MARCH 7: Pakistan cricket selectors today surprisingly dropped veteran Salim Malik and outspoken former opener Aamir Sohail from the 19-member squad shortlisted for the coming World Cup in England as well as fixtures leading up to the mega event slated to be held in May and June.“Aamir is not playing active cricket and Malik has failed to give his hundred per cent in a number of matches at home and away,” selection committee chairman Wasim Bari said while justified the omissions.

Bari, who also announced the 14-member squad for the Asian Test final against Sri Lanka at Dhaka (March 12-16) and the two one-day tournaments in India and Sharjah, said, “the squad and teams are the unanimous choice of the selectors, team captain and the coach.”

Left-arm paceman Wasim Akram, riding the crest of a new success wave as captain and bowler, has been retained to lead Pakistan in the two triangular tournaments and the Dhaka tie.

But it looked the end of the road for 35-year-old Malik, the most cappedPakistan player who is one of those under investigation by a Pakistan judicial commission for alleged involvement in a betting and match-fixing scandal.

Sohail, the 32-year-old left-handed opener was axed as captain in the aftermath of Pakistan’s home Test series defeats against Australia and Zimababwe. He kept out of the camp for the Indian tour on health grounds’ and has since been ignored.

The World Cup squad: Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul Haq, Yousaf Youhana, Wajahatullah Wasti, Imran Nazir, Moin Khan, Waqar Younis, Azhar Mahmood, Abdul Razzak, Muhammad Wasim, Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Nazir, Sajid Shah, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Arshad Khan.Team for tri-series in India & Sharjah: Wasim Akram (capt), Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmed, Imran Nazir, Inzamamul Haq, Yousaf Youhana, Moin Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Azhar Mahmood, Arshad Khan, Abdul Razzak, Shahid Nazir.

Team for Asian Test final: Wasim Akram (capt), Saeed Anwar, Wajahatullah Wasti,Imran Nazir, Ijaz Ahmed, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamamul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Moin Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Arshad Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Shahid Nazir.

Most disappointing news of my life

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Veteran Pakistani batsman Salim Malik today said his dropping from the World Cup squad was the most disappointing news of his life. “I feel really disappointed. I can say this in the most disappointing news for me. I wished to play the 1999 world cup and then announce my retirement,” the former Pakistani captain said. “I can’t understand the reason for my expulsion,” Malik said.Malik began his career in 1980-81 and played in the 1983, 1987, 1992 and 1996 World Cup tourneys. His aggregate in 276 ODIs is 7,053 runs at 33.11, with five centuries and 46 half centuries.