Saqlain Mushtaq

Karachi, Feb. 7 (Reuters): Former Pakistan captains Waqar Younis and Rashid Latif were omitted from a shortlist of 22 players named on Saturday for a training camp to prepare for the home series against India.

Waqar was sacked as captain and player after last year’s World Cup debacle while wicketkeeper Latif was dropped for the recent tour of New Zealand after he stepped down as captain before the home series against South Africa last October.

Chief selector Wasim Bari, however, said players left out of the preparatory squad would still be considered for selection, based on their performances in Pakistan domestic cricket.

India are due to tour Pakistan in March-April to play three Tests and five one-day Internationals. It will be their first full tour of Pakistan since 1989.

Experienced off spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, another senior player who had lost favour with the selectors since last year’s World Cup, was named in the 22-man squad, which will meet in Lahore from February 24.

Also included were uncapped fast bowler Rao Iftikhar and batsman Bazid Khan while opener Shadab Kabir, who last played at Test level for Pakistan in early 2002 against Bangladesh, was recalled.

Meanwhile, the PCB on Saturday put off the announcement of sponsors for the series following protests by Indian and Pakistani sponsors over late acceptance of bids after the application deadline.

The PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, however, the announcement would be made on Monday “We accepted the genuine reasons of the (late) bidders and it's PCB's prerogative to announce the bids whenever they chose to,” Khan told reporters.

The probables

Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Hameed, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamam-ul Haq, Asim Kamal, Misbah-ul Haq, Younis Khan, Bazid Khan, Faisal Iqbal, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Saqlain Mushtaq, Danish Kaneria, Moin Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammed Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Umar Gul, Rana Naveed, Rao Iftikhar, Shadab Kabir.