Wasim Akram to miss triangular series

Wasim Akram appears to have lost interest in the one day cricket will be flying home to Pakistan before the Singer one-day triangular series which is due to comence on July 5.

Pakistan coach Javed Miandad said that Akram will be flying home after the three-Test series against Sri Lanka which ends at Kandy on Sunday. The 34-year-old brilliant all-rounder is the only cricketer to take over 400 wickets in one-day cricket. In 305 matches he has taken 425 wickets at a cost of 23.63 runs apiece.

In the first test of the on-going Test series against Sri Lanka, Akram achieved another rare milestone, when he became the fourth bowler to take 400 Test wickets. He is at present the only bowler in the world to take over 400 wickets in both types of cricket.

Akram will be replaced by Shahid Afridi for the one-day series which involves host country Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa. Pakistan who have brought 17 players for the Test series against Sri Lanka will have to decide how many of them they will retain for the one-day triangular. So far the Sri Lanka Cricket Board has not indicated how many players each team should pick for the tournament.

However, the players who may join Akram on the homeward trip are likely to be batsman Qaiser Abbas and off-spinner Shoaib Malik. Leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed is likely to be left out of the squad if only 14 players are required for the tournament.

Pakistan play Sri Lanka in the opening match of the triangular at Galle International Stadium on July 5.