'Shehzad's exclusion from ODIs not due to disciplinary issues'

Pakistan team chief selector says opener did not fit team's recent combination

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan cricket team chief selector Haroon Rasheed on Wednesday discarded all speculations regarding Ahmed Shehzad’s exclusion from the ODI team against England in the on-going series.

Reports suggested, Shehzad was benched for the ODI series due to his behaviour with head coach Waqar Younis and the rest of the team management.



They further stated that the step was taken to bring Shehzad back on-track with more disciplined mind set so that he can comeback with only one thing, that is cricket, in his mind.

However, Haroon dismissed all the rumours saying he didn't the team combination.

"Ahmed was dropped from the ODIs as he wasn’t needed in the playing eleven," said Haroon, while talking to APP. Haroon added that it was only the media which was creating hype over the matter and nothing else.



Haroon claimed Waqar had said that Shehzad was dropped from the ODIs as because he was not fitting in the recent combination and will be included whenever the team needs him.

When asked if Shehzad will play in the Twenty20s against England as he is named in the squad, Haroon said the duty of the selection committee is to form the 15-player team. Meanwhile, it is up to the team management whether to include or exclude Shehzad from the T20 team which will play against England.



Regarding Umar Akmal’s inclusion in the Twenty20 team, Haroon said the case is with the PCB chairman Shahryar Khan and a decision on it is yet to be taken.