PCB wields the axe, drops Shahid Afridi for one-dayers against India

PCB wields the axe, drops Shahid Afridi for one-dayers against India

The naming of Pakistan's Twenty20 and ODI squads for their tour of India later this month was not without disagreements, with captain Mishbah-ul-Haq insisting on experienced all-rounderShahid Afridiin the team, a decision the selectors overruled while axing Afridi from the ODIs.

The selectors also came under pressure to select opener Imran Nazir and some other players but stuck to their guns of giving a chance to those who had performed well in the domestic season.

"Misbah, who captains the one-day squad, wanted Afridi in at the cost of Umar Akmal but the selectors rejected his suggestion," a source said.

"Misbah's argument was that, for one, Afridi remains a match-winner despite being out of form and his experience would count for lot in India under pressure and secondly, his presence wouldput pressure on the Indian side given his past performances," the source said.

But he added that the selectors insisted on keeping Afridi out of the one-day squad, saying they wanted to rebuild the team keeping in mind the next World Cup. "Misbah's argument was also that since they had retained Afridi in the T20 squad, he should also be given a chance in the ODI squad," the source said.

In the selection for T20Is also, there was a lot of pressure to retain opener Imran Nazir, who struggled for form in the World T20 Cup in Sri Lanka few months back.

"There were people who wanted the selectors to give Nazir another chance but the selectors insisted they wanted to give a chance to Ahmed Shahzad," the source said.

Sources also said that the selectors had conveyed to Afridi that the two T20 matches in India would be crucial for his future with the national team in any format, though there was not much debate on the ouster of either senior all-rounder Abdul Razzaq or fast bowler Mohammad Sami.

"In Razzaq's case, it appears he has been punished for having made comments about Hafeez's captaincy after the team returned from Sri Lanka, than any loss of form or anything, but there is also a desire to groom fresh talent for the future," a source said.

"That is why Asad Ali has been chosen as he is a good medium pacer and a capable batsman and performed well in the recent national T20 championship, taking 15 wickets." Asad, interestingly, also hails from Faisalabad, the hometown of both Hafeez and Misbah.

Pakistan are scheduled to play two Twenty20 Internationals and three ODIs from December 25 to January 6. The players will assemble for a seven-day camp in Lahore before leaving for India on December 22.

ODI squad:Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, Kamran Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Imran Farhat, Umar Akmal, Anwar Ali, Zulfiqar Babar.

T20 squad:Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Shoaib Malik,Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Asad Ali, Zulfiqar Babar, Ahmed Shehzad.