Akhtar in team for New Zealand tour

By Rizwan Ehsan Ali

ISLAMABAD, FEB. 3. Shoaib Akhtar returned to international cricket when the speedster was named in a 16-member Pakistan squad for this month's tour of New Zealand.

Akhtar, who last played in a triangular tournament in West Indies last April, has been sidelined since then due to side strain and shoulder problem.

Pakistan included just two new faces for the five one- day Internationals against the Kiwis, young Lahore opener Imran Farhat and Karachi fast bowler Muhammad Sami.

Imran, 19, impressed the selectors during the five trial one-day games and hammered a fine 135 in the last game against Pakistan Probables on Friday.

``Shoaib (Akhtar) has regained fitness after being treated by a specialist Dr. Tauseef Ahmad,'' said PCB Director (Operations), Brig. Munawwar Ahmed Rana. Akhtar played in two trial games but went wicketless. ``I am fully fit although I did not bowl at my usual express pace in the trial games,'' he said on Friday.

Azhar Mehmood also returned to the national team after recovering from the ankle injury he sustained a day before the three match one-day International series against England in October last year.

``We have included Azhar after the doctors gave him clearance on Friday morning,'' Brig. Rana said.

Moin Khan has been retained captain for the five one- day Internationals against New Zealand which will be followed by three Test matches.

``I was disappointed to read in the national dailies that I had a row over the distribution of logo money with coach Javed Miandad,'' Moin said. It was reported in the print media that Moin might lose his captaincy to either Inzamam-ul-Haq or Waqar Younis after questioning the distribution of logo prize money.

Brig. Rana said young batsman Faisal Iqbal, nephew of Javed Miandad, and Test batsmen Younis Khan and Muhammad Wasim would be considered for the Test series which begins at Auckland on March 8.

lThe team: Moin Khan (captain), Wasim Akram, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Salim Elahi, Imran Farhat, Imran Nazir, Mohammad Sami and Azhar Mahmood.

The itinerary: Feb. 17: First ODI at Auckland; Feb. 20: Second ODI at Napier; Feb. 22: Third ODI at Wellington; Feb. 25: Fourth ODI at Christchurch; Feb. 28: Fifth ODI at Dunedin; March 3: Three-day game v New Zealand `A'; March 8-12: First Test at Auckland; March 15-19: Second Test at Christchurch; March 22- 24: Three-day game; March 27-31: Third Test at Hamilton.

PCB chief disappointed

Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia, chairman of the PCB, was yet again a disappointed man after the Indian Sports Minister, Ms. Uma Bharti, refused to send the Indian team for the triangular series in Sharjah next week in aid of Gujarat earthquake victims.

``It is very unfortunate that the Indian Government has refused permission to their national team for the noble cause,'' Lt. Gen. Zia said.

``Obviously we can't do anything, but this time we were very much sure that the Indian government would allow its team to compete against Pakistan.''

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