Kamran Akmal recalled for Aus ODIs
Pakistan selection committee on Monday rested Younis Khan and Umar Gul and recalled Kamran Akmal for the upcoming ODI series against Australia in the UAE.
The committee, headed by chief selector Iqbal Qasim, had a detailed meeting and finalized the one-day squad for the three-match series in the UAE from August 28.
"The selectors have decided to rest Younis for a while so that he can regain his form and confidence as some important series are coming up in next few months," Qasim said.
He said the same direction was followed in Gul's case. Younis has been a regular in Pakistan's one-day and Test squads for the past few years and the decision to rest him is likely to generate a debate in the cricket circles.
The former captain himself has indicated that he was prepared for the announcement by the selectors after he struggled for runs in the recent series in Sri Lanka.
The selectors also replaced keeper Sarfraz with Kamran Akmal, who has already been picked in the T20 squad for the Australia series and the T20 World Cup.
Kamran made a comeback with former captain Shoaib Malik and left arm pacer Junaid Khan in the one-day squad.
The selectors have also called up uncapped pacer Anwar Ali, who featured in Pakistan's under-19 squad that won the 2006 youth World Cup in Sri Lanka.
The selectors have depended heavily on youngsters such as Nasir Jamshed, Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq in the batting order, tempered with the experience of captain Misbah-ul-Haq, vice-captain Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Farhat.
Most of the top Pakistani players, except Younis and T20 captain Mohammad Hafeez, are presently participating in the Sri Lanka Premier League.
Pakistan squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Imran Farhat, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Sohail Tanvir, Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan, Anwar Ali, Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman.