LAHORE: While discarded Test batsmen Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad were named among the 20 national team probables announced on Monday by chief selector-cum-head coach Misbah-ul-Haq for the Sri Lanka limited-over series, faltering experienced campaigners Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik faced the axe.

The probables were named for a national training camp starting in Lahore from Wednesday.

From among the probables, a final squad will be named on Saturday for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka comprising three ODIs and as many T20 matches, to be held in Karachi and Lahore from Sept 27 to Oct 9.

The 29-year-old Umar, who over the years has been involved in a number of controversies, last featured in an ODI in March this year against Australia at Dubai. Though a dashing and aggressive batsman with a modest ODI average of 34.34, the flamboyant right-hander has failed to deliver for the all-important international games on numerous occasions when it really mattered. The Lahore-born Umar, who has represented Pakistan in as many as 121 ODIs ever since making his ODI debut back in 2009, has also played 82 Twenty20 Internationals making 1690 runs at not-so-very attractive 26.82. He last played in a T20 International three years ago, against West Indies in Abu Dhabi. His batting average in 16 Test matches (35.82) is also not impressive.

Hafeez, Malik overlooked

Though Umar has performed well for HBL and Lahore on domestic circuit in recent years, he failed to get the nod of the previous set-up. He may now get yet another chance to prove his credentials.

In fact, both Umar and Shehzad, despite getting many chances and also having discipline issues could not establish themselves in the national team as match-winners having consistency.

The 27-year-old Shehzad’s last ODI appearance was in 2017. After playing 81 ODIs in which he has collected 2605 runs, the right-handed opener’s average of 32.56 will fail to impress many. In 57 T20 Internationals, the opener has made 1454 runs at 26.43. In Tests, however, his performance is slightly better (13 Tests, 982 runs, average 40.91).

Only time will tell whether Umar and Shehzad — if they are finally selected in the national squad for any format — have learned from their past mistakes committed in crunch international games on numerous occasions.

The exclusion of both Hafeez and Malik is not surprising as both have failed to deliver any worthwhile performance in recent international assignments. Though 218-ODI veteran Hafeez played some good knocks in ODIs, the 38-year-old’s show as off-spinner has sharply declined. Malik, 37, has significantly lost his composure both as batsman as well as off-spinner. Not to forget, the right-hander had a disasters-laden World Cup in England and Wales.

Meanwhile, a PCB press release stated, “Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik have not been named in the probables as they have been granted NOC until Oct 12 to participate in the Caribbean Premier League.”

The PCB has recalled a number of Pakistan cricketers to play in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy but has shown almost no interest in ensuring the availability of Hafeez and Malik.

Pacer Shaheen Afridi is also out of the list because he is currently suffering from dengue virus. Moreover, no new faces are included in the probables’ list, which means Misbah is not ready to play any gamble with youngsters, despite the fact that Sri Lanka is sending a second-string team after many top cricketers have declined to tour Pakistan owing to security concerns.

Meanwhile, the PCB appointed a 12-member team management for the Sri Lanka and Australia series.

Probables (domestic teams in brackets):

Sarfraz Ahmed (captain, Sindh), Babar Azam (vice-captain, Central Punjab), Abid Ali (Sindh), Ahmed Shehzad (Central Punjab), Asif Ali (Northern), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haris Sohail (Balochistan), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Iftikhar Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Imad Wasim (Northern), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Amir (Northern), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shadab Khan (Northern), Umar Akmal (Central Punjab), Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Wahab Riaz (Southern Punjab)

Team management:

Misbah-ul-Haq (head coach/chief selector); Mansoor Rana (team operations, logistics & administrative manager), Waqar Younis (bowling coach), Grant Bradburn (fielding coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant to head coach on cricket), Cliffe Deacon (physio), Yasir Malik (trainer), retired Maj Azhar Arif (security manager for Sri Lanka series), retired Col Usman Anwari (security manager for Australia tour), Raza Kitchlew (team media manager), Talha Butt (team analyst), Malang Ali (masseur).

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2019