Malik, Akmal dropped from WI tour probables

The Pakistan selectors decided to drop the senior trio of Shoib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Imran Farhat from the probables list in the wake of team's failure in the Champions Trophy but at the same time recalled veterans Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan for West Indies tour.

A reliable source in the board said that the 20-member probables list has been submitted to the Pakistan Cricket Board.

"The list also includes several new players who have done well at the domestic level or have played in the recent past for the national team," the source disclosed.

The new players in the list include openers Ahmed Shahzad and Khurrum Manzoor, middle order batsmen Sohaib Maqsood and Haris Sohail, allrounders Hammad Azam and Muhammad Nawaz.

Faisal Iqbal, Umar Akmal and pace bowler Aizaz Cheema have been recalled. "Wicketkeepers Adnan Akmal and Sarfaraz Ahmed are included in the probables list," he said.

The selectors had met with head coach Dav Whatmore in Lahore this week to discuss the performance of the team in the Champions Trophy and plans for the forthcoming tours.

Pakistan will play five one-day internationals and two T20 matches on their tour to the West Indies followed by one-dayers against Zimbabwe in mid August.

The team is due to leave on July 7 for the West Indies and it has been learnt that the selectors had submitted names to the board so that visa processing can start.

"If the issue off the Chairman of the board being suspended by the Islamabad High Court or the government appointing a interim Chairman is not resolved soon then the Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed will approve the squad for the coming tour," he said.

Since Pakistan lost all three group matches in the Champions Trophy many former players and critics have called for major changes in the team and the management.

Due to the short time available before the West Indies tour and the lingering issue of the Chairman, Misbah-ul-Haq would be retained as one-day captain and Mohammad Hafeez would lead the team in the T20 matches, the source said.

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