Team likely to be finalized tomorrow

Karachi, Sept 14: A 14-man Pakistan cricket team for next month's ICC Cup in Kenya will be finalized in Mangla on Saturday, sources said.

It was, however, not confirmed if the team would be released the same day.

Besides the selectors, captain Moin Khan and coach Javed Miandad will also attend the meeting to be chaired by the PCB chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia.

Sources added that the selectors will also present their fresh teams for the warmup matches against England. England is scheduled to play two one-day practice matches and three first-class games during its 57-day tour of Pakistan.

Although the details were not known, the selectors have recommended Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood as skippers of teams to play four-dayers at Peshawar and Rawalpindi.

Sources added that the teams now comprise youngsters who have either represented the country in Under-19 or A teams. Initially, the selectors teams were rejected on the pretext that the sides didn't include youngsters as emphasis had been laid on the seniors.

Not many changes in the team for the Kenya tournament are expected. Captain Moin Khan, vice-captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq will return for Atiq-uz-Zaman, Hasan Raza, Kabir Khan Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan.

The only significant replacement on the cards is of leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmad who is expected to pave the way for teenage middle-order batsman Faisal Iqbal.

Moin Khan (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Saeed Anwar, Imran Nazir, Salim Elahi, Ijaz Ahmad, Yousuf Youhana, Faisal Iqbal, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq and Arshad Khan.