Pakistan drop Akmal, Razzaq from West Indies tour

ISLAMABAD (AP):

Pakistan cricket selectors yesterday dropped wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq for this month's one-day international (ODI) series against the West Indies.

Akmal was heavily criticised for his poor wicketkeeping after dropping several crucial catches and missed stumpings during the World Cup, in which Pakistan were beaten by India in the semi-finals.

Razzaq took only five wickets and made 104 runs in eight World Cup games.

"At the moment there's no place for Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal in the team,'' chief selector Mohsin Khan told reporters.

Pakistan will play one Twenty20 match, five ODIs and two Test matches against the West Indies. The series begins in St Lucia on April 21 with a Twenty20 game.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement that the squad for two Test matches, starting May 12, will be announced later.

Khan said fast bowler Umar Gul and former captain Younis Khan were rested for the first leg of the tour, but didn't say whether the duo will return for the two Test matches.

Gul had already informed the PCB that he needed some rest after the World Cup.

The selectors have included rookie wicketkeeper Mohammad Salman, middle-order batsman Usman Salahuddin, fast bowler Aizaz Cheema and all-rounder Hammad Azam in the 16-member squad.

Left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan, who could not get a chance in the World Cup, was also included in the team.

"We want to try out few youngsters and that's why we have picked those players who have performed outstandingly in the domestic circuit,'' Khan said.

Captain Shahid Afridi also wanted seniors to be rested and youngsters be given an opportunity.

"Young players should be given chance, and if they are capable to grab the place of (an) experienced player, why not,'' Afridi told reporters.

Surprisingly, selectors retained opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad, who scored only 44 runs in five World Cup games before he was dropped from the last three matches.

Test opener Taufiq Umar has been recalled in the one-day team after more than six years. The left-handed opening batsman has scored 447 runs in 19 ODIs, but last played a 50-over international against Australia in 2005 before he was sidelined.

The five-match ODI series will be played at St Lucia (April 23 and 25), Barbados (April 28 and May 1) and Guyana (May 5).

First Test will be played in Guyana (May 12-16), with St Kitts hosting the second Test (May 20-24).

SQUAD: Shahid Afridi (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Taufiq Umar, Usman Salahuddin, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Hammad Azam, Aizaz Cheema, Mohammad Salman.