Shoaib, Sami make space in Pakistan's ODI squad

Umar Akmal gets dropped while Immad Wasim and Babar Azam are presented with an opportunity


Sports Desk/reuters May 24, 2015
Pakistan bagged a 2-0 series win against Zimbabwe on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

NEW DELHI/ LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board announced its squad for the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe after bagging a 2-0 series victory against the visitors on Sunday.

Former captain Shoaib Malik and fast-bowler Muhammad Sami were given a go in the ODI squad but Umar Akmal was dropped.

Ahmed Shahzad made a comeback into the ODI sqaud while Immad Wasim was given a chance to debut in the ODIs. Meanwhile, Babar Azam was also handed an opportunity.

Furthermore, Mukhtar Ahmed was not named in the ODI squad despite bagging back to back man-of-the-match awards and man-of-the-series in the T20 series.

Squad: Azhar Ali (C), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shahzad, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed (VC), Anwar Ali, Hammad Azam, Immad Wasim, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Junaid Khan.

Shahryar Khan proposes home matches in India

The south Asian neighbours may not share the best of relations but Pakistan would like to play their home matches in India, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shahayar Khan said.

Top test playing nations have shunned Pakistan since the 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lankan players in Lahore with the PCB instead playing the majority of their home matches in the United Arab Emirates.

The PCB have managed to coax Zimbabwe into touring Pakistan this month for a brief limited over series which is currently underway but accept others are unlikely to follow.

"We would like to make India our home," Shahryar told the Hindustan Times newspaper.

"India will be more cost-effective," he said, adding Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have also offered to host home matches.

Read: Fans love Pakistan-India duel, politics ruining the show, says Shahryar Khan

India cancelled bilateral cricket series with its neighbour after Pakistani militants killed 166 people in Mumbai in 2008 but hosted Pakistan in 2012-13 for a short limited over series.

Shahryar visited India earlier this month and said the neighbours are likely to play a full series in the United Arab Emirates in December.

Read: Asian teams need to support us, says Shahryar Khan

While cricketing relations maybe thawing, political tensions still exist. The duo have gone to war three times since their independence in 1947 and the prospect of Pakistan playing their home matches across the border is likely to meet with political opposition in India.

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it," said Shahryar.

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