KARACHI, March 5: Experienced duo of Saqlain Mushtaq and Shahid Afridi were on Friday named in the 16-man Pakistan squad for the first two One-day Internationals against India.
The tourists face Pakistan in the first ODI at Karachi on March 13 and the second at Rawalpindi on March 16. The remaining matches will be played at Peshawar (March 19) and Lahore (March 21 and 24). The Tests are scheduled for Multan (March 28-April 1), Lahore (April 5-9) and Rawalpindi (April 13-17).
Talking to Dawn late Friday night, Bari said that it was the best available squad. "You can't say that we have been unkind to some players. Our criteria is that if a particular player performs, he is eligible for national selection.
"The examples being the selection of Misbah-ul-Haq, Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan and Rao Iftikhar. These boys have been in top form this season and we have rewarded them just for their outstanding performances."
Uncapped Khanewal-born pace man Rao Iftikhar, 23, led Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited to victory in the final of the Patron's Trophy in late January. All-rounder Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, who played in two ODIs in 2002-03, has also been recalled after claiming 42 wickets - one more than Iftikhar.
According to Bari, Saqlain, who has 288 wickets in 169 ODIs, had been selected because of his good track record against the Indians "We have picked Saqlain since he is pretty useful in both types of cricket. At the same time, he's vastly experienced," the chairman of selectors observed.
Afridi is making a comeback having last played against India in the World Cup match at Centurion. "We voted in favour of Afridi because we felt that his inclusion would lift the fielding standard of Pakistan team. Plus, his utility as a hard-hitting batsman and a leg-spinner gives us the option of playing a sixth specialist bowler," Bari added.
The former Test captain and wicket-keeper pointed out batsman Asim Kamal and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria are contenders for the three-match Test series, which follows the five One-day Internationals.
Bari stressed that the selectors have not closed doors on stalwarts like Rashid Latif and Waqar Younis, the two former Test captains. "I have been saying repeatedly that even senior cricketers like Rashid and Waqar can come into contention provided if they play in the ongoing Quaid-i-Azam Cup/Trophy and prove their fitness and form."
The chief selector remarked that his committee had adjusted those players who were not in the ODI squad. "Those who have been unlucky still get a chance to show their worth in the practice matches against India and the Pakistan side. If anyone comes up to our expectations, he will be duly considered for the remainder of the one-day series as well as the Tests later on."
Taufiq Umar, the regular Test opener, has been named to lead the Pakistan 'A' side for the day/night one-day match against India at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday (March 11).
Hasan Raza, meanwhile, will captain the PCB XI for the practice tie against Inzamam-ul-Haq's Pakistan squad at the National Stadium on Wednesday (March 10).
Squad for first two ODIs (number of one-day appearances in parenthesis): Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain, 307 matches), Yousuf Youhana (vice-captain, 159), Imran Farhat (14), Yasir Hameed (24), Shahid Afridi (176), Younis Khan (96), Abdul Razzaq (154), Shoaib Malik (63), Moin Khan (wicket-keeper, 200), Saqlain Mushtaq (169), Shoaib Akhtar (98), Mohammad Sami 45), Shabbir Ahmed (19), Misbah-ul-Haq (11), Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan (2), Rao Iftikhar (0).
Pakistan 'A' squad: Taufiq Umar (captain) Imran Nazir, Faisal Iqbal, Bazid Khan, Naumanullah, Kamran Akmal (wicket-keeper), Yasir Arafat, Junaid Zia, Umar Gul, Zahid Saeed, Mohammad Khalil, Ashar Zaidi, Qaiser Abbas. Manager: Sultan Rana.
PCB XI squad: Hasan Raza (captain), Shadab Kabir, Naveed Qureshi, Naved Latif, Asim Kamal, Aamir Bashir, Salman Butt, Naeem Ahmed Khan (wicket-keeper), Saeed Ajmal, Tauqir Hussain, Sami Niazi, Abdul Rauf, Tanvir Ahmed. Manager: Abdul Raquib.