Pakistan omit Yousuf for New Zealand tour

KARACHI,  (Reuters) – Pakistan omitted senior batsman  and former captain Mohammad Yousuf yesterday from their squads  for their tour of New Zealand next month.

Yousuf, one of Pakistan’s leading test batsmen, had to  return home with a groin injury from Dubai last month without  playing in the tests against South Africa. He has subsequently  played domestic cricket.

He was not named in either the test or Twenty20 squads  announced by The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) while wicketkeeper  Kamran Akmal and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria have again been  overlooked.

“The one-day squad will be announced later on as first the  team plays three T20 matches and two tests, and the ODI series  starts from January 22,” a PCB spokesman said.

The selectors also ignored another former captain, Shoaib  Malik, although he has been in prime form in domestic matches,  scoring three successive hundreds including a double century.

They included Younus Khan in the T20 squad although he had  announced his retirement from the shortest form of the game  after leading Pakistan to victory in the World Cup last year.

Pakistan will play two tests, starting on Dec. 26 in  Auckland, followed by three T20 games and six one-day  internationals.

Chief selector, Mohsin Khan said the selectors had picked  only those players cleared to play by the PCB.
“At the moment we have announced the best available  combination of seniors and juniors,” he said.
Former test captain Salman Butt and opening bowlers Mohammad  Amir and Mohammad Asif are currently suspended by the  International Cricket Council following allegations of  spot-fixing in the fourth test against England this year.
T20 squad:
Shahid Afridi (captain), Muhammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shahzad,  Younus Khan, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal,  Abdul Rehman, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Tanvir  Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz (subject to fitness).
Test squad:
Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Muhammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Asad  Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal, Tanvir  Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz (subject to fitness), Umar Gul,  Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman.