KARACHI (AFP) — Pakistan included three rebel Indian league players in its preliminary 30-man squad announced Monday for the World Twenty20 championships to be held in England in June.
Chief selector Abdul Qadir said all-rounders Abdul Razzaq and Rana Naved-ul Hasan, and opener Imran Nazir had been included but their participation in the tournament would depend on International Cricket Council (ICC) clearance.
"We have Razzaq, Hasan and Nazir in the preliminary squad but their inclusion in the final team will depend on clearance from the ICC," Qadir said.
The three were among Pakistani players who featured in the Indian Cricket League (ICL) -- bankrolled by India's largest media group and not recognised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India or the ICC.
As a result, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) barred the rebel players from playing in domestic and international cricket.
The high court in Pakistan's southern province of Sindh, however, suspended the ban last February, allowing the players to take part in domestic matches.
The PCB said last week that if ICL players broke ties with the ICL they would consider their inclusion in the national team.
For this to happen, however, the PCB needs clearance from the ICC.
The ICC is due to discuss the ICL at their meeting in Dubai on April 16.
Pakistan finished runners-up to India in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup held in South Africa in 2007.
Qadir said leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was included among the probables at the request of captain Younus Khan.
"Since Kaneria plays limited overs cricket in England he has been included solely at the request of the captain, who believes Kaneria can be handy in this type of cricket," said Qadir.
Among the other probables is fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar -- also included in the 15-man squad for the five one-day and one Twenty20 match against Australia in United Arab Emirates later this month.
Akhtar was part of the team which flew to participate in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup but was sent back before the start of the tournament after he hit fellow bowler Mohammad Asif with a bat during a practice session.
Squad: Younus Khan (capt), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Shahzeb Hasan, Umar Amin, Ahmed Shahzad, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Fawad Alam, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Arafat, Kamran Younus, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar, Aizaz Cheema, Mohammad Aamir, Wahab Riaz, Imran Ali, Abdur Rehman, Danish Kaneria, Yasir Shah, Kamran Akmal and Sarfraz Ahmed
Abdul Razzaq, Rana Naved-ul Hasan and Imran Nazir - subject to ICC clearance.
Chief selector Abdul Qadir said all-rounders Abdul Razzaq and Rana Naved-ul Hasan, and opener Imran Nazir had been included but their participation in the tournament would depend on International Cricket Council (ICC) clearance.
"We have Razzaq, Hasan and Nazir in the preliminary squad but their inclusion in the final team will depend on clearance from the ICC," Qadir said.
The three were among Pakistani players who featured in the Indian Cricket League (ICL) -- bankrolled by India's largest media group and not recognised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India or the ICC.
As a result, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) barred the rebel players from playing in domestic and international cricket.
The high court in Pakistan's southern province of Sindh, however, suspended the ban last February, allowing the players to take part in domestic matches.
The PCB said last week that if ICL players broke ties with the ICL they would consider their inclusion in the national team.
For this to happen, however, the PCB needs clearance from the ICC.
The ICC is due to discuss the ICL at their meeting in Dubai on April 16.
Pakistan finished runners-up to India in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup held in South Africa in 2007.
Qadir said leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was included among the probables at the request of captain Younus Khan.
"Since Kaneria plays limited overs cricket in England he has been included solely at the request of the captain, who believes Kaneria can be handy in this type of cricket," said Qadir.
Among the other probables is fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar -- also included in the 15-man squad for the five one-day and one Twenty20 match against Australia in United Arab Emirates later this month.
Akhtar was part of the team which flew to participate in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup but was sent back before the start of the tournament after he hit fellow bowler Mohammad Asif with a bat during a practice session.
Squad: Younus Khan (capt), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Shahzeb Hasan, Umar Amin, Ahmed Shahzad, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Fawad Alam, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Arafat, Kamran Younus, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar, Aizaz Cheema, Mohammad Aamir, Wahab Riaz, Imran Ali, Abdur Rehman, Danish Kaneria, Yasir Shah, Kamran Akmal and Sarfraz Ahmed
Abdul Razzaq, Rana Naved-ul Hasan and Imran Nazir - subject to ICC clearance.
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