Fawad in contention for Australia ODIs
Left-hander’s fate to be decided in next week’s meeting, says official.
KARACHI:
Having been sidelined for the last two years, all-rounder Fawad Alam is in contention to earn a shock recall for the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia that starts in the UAE later this month.
An official close to the A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official selection committee confirmed that the left-hander may be recalled for the three-match series to be played from August 28 to September 3. The selection committee will meet next week to discuss the squad after head coach David Whatmore returns to the country on August 7.
Alam, 26, has featured in 27 ODIs since making his debut in May 2007. While he has an average of almost 38 and a strike-rate of over 73, the left-hander was discarded following the tour of New Zealand in 2010. Alam then failed to find a place in the selectors’ good books despite performing well on the domestic circuit. Alam’s performance in the last domestic season, where he finished among the top run-getters, seemed to have nudged the selection committee. He ended as the third highest run-scorer in the Quaid Trophy, boasting the best average of 67.5 as he amassed 945 runs from 11 matches.
“Alam is among the contenders,” the official told The Express Tribune. “The selectors want some depth in the batting department because of the tough opposition and this is why he has returned among the candidates. There are a few other sidelined cricketers who are also being considered for the series.”
However, the official said that confirming his place in the national team would be premature.
“The selectors will meet the head coach and the captain. It will be finalised after everyone’s consensus.”
Meanwhile, according to reports, former captain Shoaib Malik and Yasir Hameed are also among the probables for making a comeback in the team. Hameed has not been selected since the tour of England in 2010, while Malik, included in the Twenty20 squad, last played an ODI during the ‘home’ series against England in the UAE earlier this year.
Various discarded players including Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir and Kamran Akmal have also regained their places in the Twenty20 squad for Australia series as well as the World Twenty20.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 2nd, 2012.
Having been sidelined for the last two years, all-rounder Fawad Alam is in contention to earn a shock recall for the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia that starts in the UAE later this month.
An official close to the A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official selection committee confirmed that the left-hander may be recalled for the three-match series to be played from August 28 to September 3. The selection committee will meet next week to discuss the squad after head coach David Whatmore returns to the country on August 7.
Alam, 26, has featured in 27 ODIs since making his debut in May 2007. While he has an average of almost 38 and a strike-rate of over 73, the left-hander was discarded following the tour of New Zealand in 2010. Alam then failed to find a place in the selectors’ good books despite performing well on the domestic circuit. Alam’s performance in the last domestic season, where he finished among the top run-getters, seemed to have nudged the selection committee. He ended as the third highest run-scorer in the Quaid Trophy, boasting the best average of 67.5 as he amassed 945 runs from 11 matches.
“Alam is among the contenders,” the official told The Express Tribune. “The selectors want some depth in the batting department because of the tough opposition and this is why he has returned among the candidates. There are a few other sidelined cricketers who are also being considered for the series.”
However, the official said that confirming his place in the national team would be premature.
“The selectors will meet the head coach and the captain. It will be finalised after everyone’s consensus.”
Meanwhile, according to reports, former captain Shoaib Malik and Yasir Hameed are also among the probables for making a comeback in the team. Hameed has not been selected since the tour of England in 2010, while Malik, included in the Twenty20 squad, last played an ODI during the ‘home’ series against England in the UAE earlier this year.
Various discarded players including Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir and Kamran Akmal have also regained their places in the Twenty20 squad for Australia series as well as the World Twenty20.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 2nd, 2012.