Surprise call for Malik (10 December 1998)

10 December 1998

Surprise call for Malik

By Nelson Clare in Lahore

PAKISTAN yesterday recalled former captain Salim Malik for the second Test against Zimbabwe starting today.

The surprise decision came hours after Australians Mark Waugh and Shane Warne, who had accused Malik of trying to bribe them in 1994, admitted accepting money the same year from an Indian bookmaker to provide pitch and weather information.

Malik said yesterday their admissions proved his innocence of the bribery allegations.

The selectors said Malik would replace Inzaman-ul-Haq, who pulled out of the Test because of illness and a suspected knee injury. Zimbabwe won the opening game - their first Test win abroad - and are now seeking their first series win.

Malik, under investigation on match-fixing and betting charges, is set to become the second Pakistani to play 100 Tests. Current coach Javed Miandad played in 124.

Malik was not selected for the first Zimbabwe Test and a series against Australia in October, which Pakistan lost, while a government-ordered inquiry looked into the bribery allegations. A judge is due to deliver his report on the matter on Tuesday.

There is confusion about the Test pitch, as three have been prepared. Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell said: "We don't know which pitch we are going to play on so we are delaying the announcement of the team until tomorrow."

Ground curator Mohammad Bashir said he had been ordered to prepare three pitches, which are all well grassed, but the final decision will be taken by PCB pitch consultant and former Pakistan captain Hanif Mohammad.

Pakistan (from): Aamir Sohail (capt), Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmad, Salim Malik, Yousaf Yohanna, Hassan Raza, Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis, Saleem Elahi, Mushtaq Ahmad, Mohammad Akram, Azhar Mahmood.

Zimbabwe (from): A D R Campbell (capt), A Flower, G W Flower, C B Wishart, M W Goodwin, P Strang, H H Streak, N C Johnson, H K Olonga, A R Whittall, A Huckle, M Mbangwa, G J Rennie, E Matambanadzo.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)