KARACHI: Pakistan cricket selectors excluded batsman Umar Akmal for the three-match Twenty20 International series against England on disciplinary grounds while naming uncapped duo of Riffatullah Mohmand and Iftikhar Ahmed in the 16-man squad announced on Thursday.

Umar, the youngest of the three Akmal brothers and son-in-law of legendary Test spinner Abdul Qadir, was a certainty for the T20 fixtures in Dubai on Nov 26 and 27 in Sharjah on Nov 30 but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took serious notice of the 25-year-old’s alleged involvement in immoral activities on eve of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy match between Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and Hyderabad in Hyderabad and have decided to exclude him while issuing a show cause.

“Umar Akmal was in contention for a place in the T20 International squad, but he was not considered following the board issuing him a show cause notice after the press reports revealed that he had brought PCB and Pakistan cricket into disrepute,” chief selector Haroon Rasheed was quoted as saying in the PCB media release. “He has been dropped on clear instructions of the board because breaching the code of conduct is a serious offence.”

Selectors pick 16-man squad for England series

Umar, who has figured in 16 Tests, 111 One-day Internationals and 65 Twenty20 Internationals and scored 129 on Test debut against New Zealand at Dunedin’s University Oval in November 2009, hasn’t been part of the Pakistan team in the five-day format since the Bulawayo Test against Zimbabwe in September 2011.

He was subsequently axed from the one-day side after Pakistan lost to eventual champions Australia in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final at Adelaide last March.

Head coach and former Test skipper Waqar Younis, in his post-World Cup report to the PCB, cited Umar’s lack of discipline and was also critical of his attitude towards then Pakistan one-day captain Misbah-ul-Haq and the coach himself.

The selectors have also inducted Iftikhar, a 25-year-old right-handed top-order batsman who is an occasional off-spinner, in the one-day to fill the slot left vacant by Younis Khan’s sudden retirement from the 50-over format on Wednesday.

Both Riffatullah and Iftikhar, who had been on fringe of Pakistan selection over the past two seasons and have played in several side matches against teams touring UAE, were vital components of the Peshawar team which retained the National T20 title in Rawalpindi last Sep­tember.

Talented all-rounder Imad Wasim, who is currently recuperating from a surgery on his left index finger, is also part of the Shahid Afridi-led T20 team subject to fitness clearance from the cricket board. In case of the 26-year-old from Islamabad being unavailable, off-spinning all-rounder Bilal Asif — who is currently engaged in the one-day series against Eoin Morgan’s England side — will prolong his stay in the UAE.

Umar is one of two changes from the squad that toured Zimbabwe in September with opener Mukhtar Ahmed making way for the 39-year-old Riffatullah.

Commenting on the selection of Riffatullah, who missed out playing for Afghanistan in the World Cup qualifiers in 2009 on technical grounds, Haroon said: “Having experience of playing first-class cricket for many years, with his form, sound technique and fitness, and also given his fielding credentials, Riffatullah Mohmand has been afforded an opportunity as he was considered to have potential to feature in an international T20 competition as an opener.

”He played a pivotal role in helping Peshawar retain the national T20 title a few months ago and deserves his opportunity to prove himself at the international level.”

On Iftikhar’s inclusion in both T20 and ODI squads, Haroon remarked: “Iftikhar has filled the spot vacated by Younis in one-dayers. The selectors also felt he [Iftikhar] also be given a chance in the T20 format on the back of his performance on the domestic T20 circuit.”

An elated Riffatullah expressed the hope that if he get the chance to play against England it would a dream come true for him.

“Right now I have no words to express except offer my gratitude to the Almighty Allah for answering my prayer. I have waited for this moment and dreamt for it for all these years. Insha’Allah if I do get the opportunity to play I shall give my best and help Pakistan win,” Riffatullah told Dawn. “I’m also very happy for Iftikhar. He is a fine young cricketer who could be a long-term asset for Pakistan. Having played together for Peshawar and Wapda, we know each other extremely well and understand each other’s game.”

Squad: Shahid Afridi (captain), Sarfraz Ahmed (vice-captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Riffatullah Mohmand, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Anwar Ali, Imran Khan Jr, Mohammad Irfan, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Aamir Yamin, Imad Wasim/Bilal Asif.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2015

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