Banned Younis, Malik and ageing Akhtar in PCB’s list of 35 probables for Asia Cup

LAHORE - Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and banned former captains Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik have been included in the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) list of 35 probables for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Announcing the probables for the forthcoming Asia Cup here, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt also declared that T20 skipper Shahid Afridi would be leading the side in the quadrangular one-day tournament, which would be held in Sri Lanka from June 15-24, and would also captain the squad in the ‘home’ Test series in England.

Afridi has been appointed the skipper of the Test side, despite that fact that he has not played any five-day game in the last four years.

Butt said that inclusion of Younis and Malik, both of whom are serving a year ban, in the final team for the upcoming assignments, would depend upon the decision of the appeal tribunal, which is hearing their case.

“Both Younis and Malik’s inclusions are subject to the outcome of their appeals.We have promised to review the fines and bans on six of our top players, so the names of Younis and Malik will only be included in the final squad after a decision on their appeals,” The Daily Times quoted Butt, as saying.

The PCB’s list of players did not include former captain Mohammed Yousuf, who had retired from international cricket in protest against the PCB’s indefinite ban. Afridi said he has been trying to persuade Yousuf to come out of retirement, but the former skipper has refused to do so.

“I talked to him on telephone yesterday and requested him to reconsider his retirement, but he refused to do so. I still believe Yousuf can play international cricket for two to three more years,” Afridi said, adding that Yousuf has taken up a coaching job in Canada.

Probables for Asia Cup:

Shahid Afridi (captain), Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Khurram Manzoor, Shahzaib Hasan, Azhar Ali, Azeem Ghumman, Younus Khan, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Faisal Iqbal, Fawad Alam, Hasan Raza, Azhar Shafiq, Umar Amin, Aamir Sajjad, Mohammad Hafeez, Abdul Razzaq, Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir, Mohammad Sami, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Tanveer Ahmed, Ejaz Cheema, Danish Kaneria, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Kamran Akmal, Zulqarnain Haider (ANI)