January 3, 2006	Tuesday	Zilhaj 2, 1426

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LAHORE, Jan 2: Eighteen probables were invited to attend the conditioning camp to be set up from Jan 5 to 10 to prepare Pakistan team for the home series against India starting with the first Test in Lahore from Jan 13.

A PCB spokesman said that the names were selected by the national selection committee.

Interestingly, the selectors preferred non-central contract players over contractual.

Opener Riffatullah Mohmand, a non-central contract player was preferred over contractual Imran Farhat.

More interestingly, the selectors are testing experienced Imran Farhat in the three-day match against India to be played at Bagh-i-Jinnah but considering inexperienced Riffatullah as opener for Pakistan after facing criticism for testing Shoaib Malik as opener.

It was learnt Riffatullah has been dropped by his department due to poor performance in the ongoing Patron’s Trophy.

The Indian selectors had preferred experience for the tour as they picked the out-of-form Saurav Ganguly only for his experience.

Similarly, another contractual medium-pacer Rao Iftikhar was not included and instead Mohammad Asif a non central contract player got a chance.

Surprisingly, all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, who has been suffering from typhoid and admitted to a hospital last week, is also included in the list of probables, despite the fact that he is quite likely to miss the Test series.

During the home series against England, the selectors picked forgotten leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmad with tall claims but he was not tested in any match.

Medium-pacer Umar Gul has been recalled.

Probables:

Inzamamul Haq, Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan, Muhammad Yousaf, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Kamran Akmal, Rana Navedul Hasan, Mohammad Sami, Danish Kaneria, Arshad Khan, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Asim Kamal, Yasir Hameed, Riffatullah Mohmand.