Kamran scapegoated again by Pakistan
Feb 08 2010 - 12:50:27
Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has been dropped from the Pakistan squad for the two Twenty20 internationals against England in Dubai later this month.
The 28-year-old failed to impress on his side's disappointing recent tour of Australia, dropping four vital catches in the second Test in Sydney, although he did score 64 off 33 balls in last week's T20 defeat.
Opening batsman Salman Butt has also been omitted along with fast bowler Mohammad Asif, who is barred from entering Dubai after being detained there with a small quantity of opium in June 2008.
Shoaib Malik will skipper the team for both games, with Pakistan's regular Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi due to miss the first game against England as he completes his two-match ban for ball-tampering.
The selection meeting was chaired by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt following the resignation of chief selector Iqbal Qasim last week.
Pakistan squad: Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Khalid Lateef, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik (capt), Fawad Alam, Shahid Afridi, Abdur Razzaq, Sarfraz Ahmad (wkt), Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Arafat, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Talha.