KARACHI, 8 July 2004 — Pakistan included fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar when they announced their squad for this month’s Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
“We have selected Shoaib Akhtar after satisfying ourselves that he is 100 percent fit and with the consent of the captain and coach,” Wasim Bari, Pakistan’s chief selector, told Reuters.
Akhtar had to go through a stringent fitness test after first saying he could not be considered for the tournament because of a rib cage injury and then saying he was available.
Bob Woolmer will be coaching Pakistan for the first time at the tournament since being appointed coach last month in place of Javed Miandad.
The Asia Cup from July 16 to Aug. 1 includes Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.
Squad: Yasir Hameed, Imran Farhat, Imran Nazir, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Yousuf Youhana, Moin Khan, Abdur Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria.
Fit-Again Harbhajan, Zaheer Return
In Madras, India, off spinner Harbhajan Singh and fast bowler Zaheer Khan have returned from injuries to be named in India’s squad for this month’s Asia Cup.
The 23-year-old Harbhajan, nicknamed ‘Turbanator’, has not played since the first Test in Australia in December after surgery to repair a ligament tear on his spinning finger.
Zaheer, who has struggled with recurring hamstring problems since last year, was also included in the 14-man squad led by captain Saurav Ganguly.
First sidelined in Australia, Zaheer returned for the March-April tour of Pakistan but was sent home midway through the series after breaking down again.
India’s cricket board secretary Karunakaran Nair told reporters yesterday medium-pacer Ajit Agarkar and left-arm spinner Murali Kartik had been omitted from the squad after failing to impress in the Pakistan series.
India squad: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Vangipurappu Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Parthiv Patel, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Irfan Pathan, Lakshmipathy Balaji.
Bring on the Short Stuff, Says Jayasuriya
In Cairns, Australia, opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya has challenged Australia’s bowlers to adopt short-pitched bowling in this week’s second test against Sri Lanka.
“We are quite used to it. We don’t have to worry about those things, that’s part of the game,” Jayasuriya told reporters on Wednesday.
Glenn McGrath took five for 37 last week in Sri Lanka’s first innings of 97 in the first test and Michael Kasprowicz claimed seven for 39 in their second innings of 162 as Australia clinched a 149-run win inside three days in Darwin. The second Test starts on Friday in the tropical north Queensland city of Cairns. The wicket has a covering of grass but is expected to favor Australia’s pace trio of McGrath, Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie.
Australian players Matthew Hayden and Shane Warne say the Sri Lankans will be on the receiving end of some ferocious fast bowling.
“It looks a good wicket. We need to be positive,” Jayasuriya said. “We should do our thing and just go out there and bat.”
Jayasuriya made eight and 16 in Darwin, falling leg before wicket to McGrath twice.
Jayasuriya, who scored 131 in Kandy in March in the second Test against Australia, said he was not concerned about McGrath’s public statements that he would be focusing on Jayasuriya in this series.
“Glenn has been bowling well for the last game and he bowled in the right areas,” the 35-year-old left-hander said.
“I’m not worried about if he wants to go after a batsman. That’s his way of thinking. I go and play my natural game.”
