Misbah recalls bad boys Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad

KARACHI: Misbah-ul-Haq’s stint as chief selector is still very fresh but the former Pakistan captain has already made a controversial move.

The former Pakistan captain, who was recently entrusted with an unprecedented dual role of head coach and chief selector, has decided to bring back the bad boys of Pakistan cricket – Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad – for the three-match Twenty20 International series against visiting Sri Lanka.

Following a series of issues that included indifferent form, poor fitness and misconduct, Pakistan had more or less sidelined Umar and Ahmed during the reign of Misbah’s predecessor Mickey Arthur. The former Pakistan coach was averse to the idea of bringing them back in the Pakistan line-up. But Misbah, it is obvious, believes that the duo are good enough to be back for national duty.

He has included both of them in Pakistan’s 16-man squad announced by the PCB on Wednesday. Umar has not played for Pakistan in three years while Ahmed returns after a 16-month hiatus from international cricket.

Pakistan have also recalled all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, who was earlier omitted from the central contract. The trio of Ahmed, Umar and Faheem replace Abid Ali, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq, who featured in the three-match ODI series which concluded in Karachi on Wednesday night.

Imam has been left out of the T20I side due to an injury in his left-hand, which he sustained while fielding in the second ODI against Sri Lanka on Monday.

Ahmed last featured in a T20I in June 2018 against Scotland. He was subsequently out of the reckoning after being suspended for testing positive for a banned substance. Umar, meanwhile, lost his place in 2016 when he was involved in a public spat with then head coach Mickey Arthur, leading to a three-match ban and a Rs1 million fine, with the PCB also revoking no-objection certificates for the player to play in overseas leagues for two months.

There might be some awkward reunions in the side, particularly between Shehzad and Umar, and the newly appointed bowling coach Waqar Younis. As head coach until the 2016 World T20, Waqar had resigned with scathing parting shots aimed at both players. He had said that sacrificing “one Umar Akmal will allow us to develop other players who can truly and proudly wear the star on their chest and represent Pakistan”.

He had also said Ahmed should be made to re-earn his place in the national side after performing in domestic cricket. In a recent press conference, Waqar drew attention to that last remark, insisting he had never said he wanted the two to be kept away from the national side forever.

The three T20Is, all to be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from October 5 to 9, will be the first multi-game series in the shortest format for Pakistan since the world’s No. 1 side saw their 11-series-winning streak snapped in South Africa at the start of the year. Sarfraz Ahmed, however, was not part of that series, and has still yet to lose a series as captain.

Iftikhar Ahmed has been recalled to the T20I side as well, his solitary game in the format having come in 2016 against Sri Lanka, a match where he did not get to either bat or bowl. Mohammad Nawaz could also play his first T20I in over a year, after being picked alongside Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan and Iftikhar to form a strong spin contingent.

Pakistan squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Babar Azam (vice-captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Umar Akmal, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz. –with inputs from agencies