Friday 21st August 2009
Pakistan recall Mohammed Asif
Mohammad Asif has been selected in Pakistan's squad for the CT and pave the way for his return to international cricket.
The 26-year-old is currently serving a one-year ban for failing a drugs test during the Indian Premier League last year.
That ban expires on September 22, the opening day of the Champions Trophy in South Africa, with Asif's place confirmed yesterday when he passed a fitness test supervised by National Cricket Academy chief Rashid Latif.
The right-armer has not played for his country since April last year, when he took three for 35 in a one-day international against Bangladesh in Karachi.
The Pakistan cricket Board's seven-member selection panel chose experience over youth for the tournament as they resisted wholesale changes to the team which lost the one-day series away in Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul Haq retain their places, but all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and top-order was dropped.
Batsman Nasir Jamshed missed out due to injury.
Pakistan squad: Younus Khan (captain), Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul Haq, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Imran Nazir, Rana Naved-ul Hasan, Iftikhar Anjum, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Aamir, Mohammad Asif.
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