Pakistan team for Sri Lanka this week (8 Apr 1997)

07 April 1997

Pakistan team for Sri Lanka this week

By Our Sports Reporter

KARACHI, April 6: At least two changes are on the cards when the national selection committee meets this week to finalise the side for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka.

Shahid Afridi and Sajid Ali are expected to miss the trip to the island's tour while Saeed Anwar, if fit, and 15-year-old Hasan Raza are likely to be recalled.

Asif Mujtaba may earn the selectors nod if weakness restrains Saeed Anwar from staging a comeback. Anwar pulled out from the Sharjah tour because of bronchitis.

Sajid Ali may consider himself unlucky to be ousted from the tour despite not getting a chance to prove his mettle in Sharjah. Sajid was tipped to be in the first eleven after he made a return to the Pakistan team after scoring 738 runs in the National One-day Championship.

But the tactful appointment of Ramiz Raja by the cricket administrators not only booked him a berth in the playing side, but may also give him a chance to tour Sri Lanka against whom Raja has his two Test centuries. Interestingly, the same PCB Executive Council which has approved Raja's appointment as vice-captain, had deposed him of captaincy after the tour of Sharjah in 1995-96. Raja later toured Australia, Singapore and Sharjah besides playing in the World Cup under Wasim Akram and Aamir Sohail (Sharjah and Singapore).

There are also indications that a tour manager will also be appointed by the cricket officials. Sources tip Yawar Saeed to replace Yar Mohammad Solangi who made himself a laughing stock in front of the television camera on Sunday afternoon.

Source:: Dawn (https://xiber.com/dawn/)