Pakistan one-day team against New Zealand

KARACHI, SEPT. 11. Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who has been struggling with injury and illness, has been left out of Pakistan's 16-man squad to face New Zealand in three one-day matches starting next week.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), who announced the squad on Tuesday, also omitted leg-spinner Danish Kanaria.

The youngster hit the headlines when he had a 12-wicket haul in an Asian Test Championship (ATC) match against Bangladesh last month.

``This team is basically for the three one-dayers. Players not considered for selection are definitely in the running to play in the Tests,'' chief selector Wasim Bari said.

Bari said the PCB wanted Akhtar, rated the fastest bowler during the 1999 World Cup, to play a few first class matches before he could be considered for selection.

The squad: Saeed Anwar, Taufiq Umar, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Yousaf Youhana, Naveed Latif, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Rashid Latif, Azhar Mehmood, Abdur Razzaq, Waqar Younis (Capt), Wasim Akram, Shabbir Ahmed, Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Malik.

- Reuters

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