KARACHI, (Reuters) – All-rounder Abdur Razzaq was the only notable omission when Pakistan named their 30-man preliminary squad yesterday for the Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh.
The 34-year-old, who has played 265 ODIs and 32 T20 internationals, was dismayed by his exclusion.
“It is disappointing but I am not giving up on my career as I still feel I can play for another two years and I am feeling fit as ever,” he told Reuters.
Razzaq featured in Pakistan’s T20 series against South Africa last month but had to return home early due to fitness problems.
The selectors kept faith with pace bowlers Umar Gul and Muhammad Irfan despite the duo also suffering from recent fitness issues.
Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, who has not played for the national side since last June, has also been recalled.
The World Cup will take place from March 16 to April 6.
Preliminary list:
Muhammad Hafeez, Ahmad Shahzad, Sharjeel Khan, Shahzaib Hasan, Nasir Jamshaid, Khurram Manzoor, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal (wicketkeeper), Haris Sohail, Yasir Arafat, Yasir Shah, Hammad Azam, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Shahid Afridi, Zohaib Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Muhammad Irfan, Umar Gul, Junaid Khan, Bilawal Bhatti, Anwar Ali, Asad Ali, Ehsan Adil, Muhammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Raza Hasan, Abdul Rehman, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper).
