The Pakistan side for the ODIs and the T20Is leg of their English tour has been announced and there was a surprise return for Mohammad Yousuf in both the formats of the game. Shoaib Malik has been given the axe and there are returns for Fawad Alam and Mohammad Hafeez as well. >
Yousuf had been banned from the Pakistani side at the end of the tour of Australia, and was not a part of the side for five months. He was then recalled in the middle of the tour of England and has played in the third Test match since where he scored a half-century.>
He was the captain of the ODI squad on the tour of Australia, but has played in only one T20I, which was four years ago. Yousuf was dropped from the T20I side and did not play in any of the three ICC World T20s, including the one in 2007, due to which he quit in a huff.
Malik’s axe comes in the wake of some poor performances for the team. He had also been banned for an year, but had his ban overturned. He is replaced by another all-rounder, Alam, who can bowl left-arm spin and bat in the middle-order.
Wahab Riaz is also given a place in the squad after his five-wicket haul in the Oval Test match.
The Squad: Shahid Afridi (capt), Salman Butt, Shahzaib Hasan, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Yousuf, Azhar Ali, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Fawad Alam, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Wahab Riaz.