Current team retained for Sri Lankan tour

Karachi, June 5: Wasim Akram has been included in the 16-man squad for the Sri Lankan tour which is expected to be named on Tuesday. Wasim, who has 398 Test wickets, confirmed his availability from Dhaka after losing his Channel 4 commentary assignment, sources said.

The selectors submitted the squad to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director Yawar Saeed on Monday which will be released after clearance from the chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia and the team management.

While the 14 players currently in Dhaka have been retained, Waqar Younis and Younis Khan are expected to be added. Waqar was adjudged Man-of-the-Series against Sri Lanka earlier this year while Younis is expected to earn the selectors' nod despite his unsatisfactory performance in the West Indies.

Not considered for the selection is Mushtaq Ahmad. Interestingly, the selectors are opting for six fast bowlers for conditions which will be hot, humid and unlikely to extend much support to the seamers.

The likely 16 are:

Moin Khan (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Imran Nazir, Mohammad Wasim, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Azhar Mahmood, Abdur Razzaq, Mohammad Akram, Shabbir Ahmad, Arshad Khan and Shoaib Malik.