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LAHORE, Oct 14: Forgotten leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed has moved a step closer to a Test comeback for the upcoming home series against England. Mushtaq, who last played for Pakistan in a Test two years ago, was selected to take part in a trial match in Lahore during Oct 26-29.
He will play for the Rest of Pakistan against a Pakistan XI, which will be led by Inzamamul Haq. The Rest of Pakistan captain will be named later.
Mushtaq has been a prolific wicket-taker for English county Sussex in England for past three seasons. Pakistan think tank considers Mushtaq could undermine England batsmen who had shown weakness against top class leg spin as demonstrated by Australian spin wizard Shane Warne in the recently concluded Ashes series.
Danish Kaneria still remains Pakistan’s first-choice spinner and there are a number of spin bowling all-rounders like Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi available.
But if selectors think two front-line leg spinners are needed in any of three Tests, Mushtaq seems to be best choice due to his experience.
The two teams:
PAKISTAN XI: Inzamamul Haq, Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousaf, Asim Kamal, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Abdul Razzaq, Muhammad Sami, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Danish Kaneria, Rao Iftikhar.
REST OF PAKISTAN: Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Bazid Khan, Hasan Raza, Misbahul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Zulqarnain Haider (wicketkeeper), Shahid Nazir, Umer Gull, Shoaib Akhtar, Mushtaq Ahmed, Faisal Iqbal.
