Cricket: Kallis set to begin World Cup bid in ODI series against Pakistan

The all-rounder said he wanted to earn a place in what would be his 6th World Cup.

JOHANNESBURG: Jacques Kallis begins a bid to earn a place at the 2015 Cricket World Cup squad when he returns to the South African one-day international squad for a series against Pakistan starting in Cape Town on Sunday.

Kallis, who turned 38 last month, has not played in a one-day international since February 2012 as part of a programme to manage the remaining years of his career.

But the all-rounder announced earlier this year that he wanted to earn a place in what would be his sixth World Cup, scheduled for Australia and New Zealand February and March 2015.

Kallis has played in 321 one-day internationals. Batsman Faf du Plessis and left-arm spinner Robin Peterson were omitted from the squad which beat Pakistan 4-1 in a series in the United Arab Emirates recently.

South African Test captain Graeme Smith also returns to the one-day side after returning early from the United Arab Emirates because of post-concussion syndrome following a blow to the head in the second Test match.

South Africa will play three one-day internationals against Pakistan this month, followed by three against India during December. The same squad will play in both series.

South African squad: AB de Villiers (captain), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wkt), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.