June 02, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 27, 1429

LAHORE, June 1: A 15-member Pakistan team to play in the forthcoming three-nation cricket tournament in Bangladesh will be announced on Monday.The tri-nation competition features Pakistan, India and hosts Bangladesh.

The Pakistan Cricket Board chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed has said that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is not being considered for the tournament since he has to appear before PCB’s appellate tribunal on June 8.

Though Shoaib had been banned for five years for indiscipline, there is no ban on him at the moment as the tribunal had lifted it in order to allow him to play in the Indian Premier League.

The chief selector also said that as he had still not received the players’ fitness reports, the final squad would be picked in a meeting to be held in Lahore on Monday.

Meanwhile, Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson is expected to reach Lahore from Australia in the wee hours of Monday. Similarly, Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik will also be back in Lahore the same day after appearing in the Indian Premier League.

“We [all the selectors] will sit down with the coach and captain for their input before announcing the team,” said the chief selector.