Pakistan announce Twenty20 squad, captain to be named later

Karachi, March 12: Holders Pakistan Friday announced their final 15-man squad, without naming the captain, for the World Twenty20 championship in the West Indies.

Chief selector Mohsin Hasan Khan told reporters here that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will name the captain later.

Pakistan cricket plunged into a turmoil earlier in the week when the PCB banned and fined several leading cricketers, including former captains Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi.

While Younis and Yousuf are not part of the preliminary squad, Malik has been sidelined because of the one year ban slapped on him for indiscipline. However, Afridi, and Akmal brothers, Kamran and Umar, who were handed hefty fines, have been picked.

All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez makes a comeback after his good showing in the National Twenty20 Cup. The selectors have also chosen young all-rounder Hammad Azam taking into account his performance in the under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

Pakistan are the defending champions of the World Twenty20 which gets underway in the West Indies from April 30.

Pakistan squad: Salman Butt, Khalid Latif, Muhammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, Hammad Azam, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Saeed Ajmal.