Pakistan’s selectors have recalled middle-order batsman Asim Kamal for the first Test against Sri Lanka beginning on February 21 in Karachi
Osman Samiuddin18-Feb-2009
Ahmed Shehzad wasn’t part of the original probables but his 146 in the tour game was too hard to ignore © Cricinfo Ltd
Pakistan’s selectors picked five uncapped players in their 15-man squadfor the first Test against Sri Lanka in Karachi, also recallingmiddle-order batsman Asim Kamal. Under-19 opener Ahmed Shehzad, who scored ahundred in a warm-up game against the tourists, was a surprise first-timepick, while others joining him as first-timers in the Test setup are fastbowlers Mohammad Talha and Sohail Khan, opener Khurram Manzoor andallrounder Fawad Alam.The selectors picked Shehzad following his 146 for the PCB Patrons XI inthe two-day tour match against the Sri Lankans in Karachi, againoverlooking Nasir Jamshed. The opening batsman was also a part of theU-19 squad for the World Cup in Malaysia last year.”Shehzad was not selected in the initial squad of 22 but I said last weekthat we can pick a player from outside the first list,” chief selectorAbdul Qadir said. “So after hitting a hundred against Sri Lanka we couldnot ignore Shehzad.”Kamal’s return is otherwise notable, capping the end of a three-year Testexile. Kamal played the last of his 12 Tests in 2005 against England,since when he has been the subject of contentious debate among severalselection committees and captains.He has been in steady, rather than spectacular, form this season (451 runsin eight Quaid-e-Azam trophy games) but his many backers will argue thathe should never have been dropped in the first place. The man who leadsthe domestic run-charts, Fawad Alam (855 runs at 122.14) providescompetition alongwith Faisal Iqbal for a middle-order berth.There will be mild surprise elsewhere at the exclusion of Sohail Tanvir,essentially dropped at the expense of Yasir Arafat. The selectors believethe pair were vying for the same spot, and though both were in finedomestic form, Arafat’s impressive Test debut against India in Bangalorein 2007 – the last Test Pakistan played – ensured he got the nod.A selection disagreement?There is tension between Qadir and Younis and it isbelieved that some of the finer details in the squad’s make-up were thebone of much contention between the pair. “The captain is the general of the team who has to lead the side in the field so it’s a good thing that he should select his own final playing XI,”Qadir said. But it is understood that the selection of Shehzad, enthusiastically put forth by Qadir, did not please Younis, mostly as it came from outside the22 probables picked. But communication between the two is strainedcurrently and one member of the selection committee spent much of the dayplaying mediator between the two before the squad was announced.The emergence of Talha hasn’t helped Tanvir’s cause either;highly-regarded by men such as Wasim Akram over the last two seasons,Talha has set the domestic scene alight, with 34 wickets so far in sixgames.Kamran Akmal has also been retained in the side, despite a team managementreport after the ODI series loss to Sri Lanka, which specifically askedfor a replacement to be found for the continually under-performing Akmal.Qadir indicated the decision was Younis Khan’s, strangely admitting ithadn’t crossed his mind.The squad was the first picked by this committee and Younis, who took overas captain of Pakistan from Shoaib Malik after the ODI loss to Sri Lanka.Squad: Younis Khan (capt), Salman Butt, Khurram Manzoor, Ahmed Shehzad, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, Danish Kaneria, Kamran Akmal (wk), Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Sohail Khan.