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Pakistan rest Afridi, Yousuf and Kamran Hussain

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Pakistan have tried out a few newcomers already in the ongoing series against Zimbabwe, and a 4-0 advantage has further emboldened the selectors to test more players for the fifth and final ODI in Sheikhupura.

Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi and Kamran Hussain, the left-arm medium-pacer who made his debut during this series, have been omitted, while Naumanullah, Rizwan Ahmed, Junaid Zia and Abdur Rauf have been drafted into a 15-member squad.

Naumanullah was the top run-getter in the 2007-08 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with 949 runs at over 60. He made 86 while playing for the Patron's XI in a tour game against the Zimbabweans. Rizwan Ahmed, the legspinning allrounder, has been called up while Zia and Rauf bolster the pace attack.

Of the four, Zia has previously played for Pakistan, in four ODIs against Bangladesh in 2003. He was impressive in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with 46 wickets for Lahore Ravi, costing 26.76 apiece.

The absence of Yousuf, who scored a hundred in Faisalabad, Afridi, and Hussain mean Pakistan will make at least three changes to their playing XI for Sheikhupura. The first four ODIs had seen five players making their debut for Pakistan, and perhaps a few more are on the cards for Saturday's match.

Squad: Shoaib Malik (capt), Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Khurram Manzoor, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Naumanullah, Fawad Alam, Rizwan Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Sohail Tanvir, Junaid Zia, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Abdur Rauf

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Will Pakistan Premier League gain success just like Indian Premier League ?