Posted:
Pakistan to exclude Rana, Kaneria from ODI equation
'KARACHI: Medium pacer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria are set to face the axe early next month when Pakistan will announce their team for a three-match One-day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi.
'The News' learnt here through reliable sources that Rana and Kaneria, who were a part of Pakistan's World Cup squad, will not be retained in the national ODI team for the series against Sri Lanka to be played from May 9-15.
A new team of selectors would decide the squad for the Abu Dhabi assignment after a series of meetings before and after a preparatory camp to be held in Lahore from April 28 to May 4.
Pakistan are to announce their new ODI team on May 6 for the series against Abu Dhabi.
Several changes are expected in the team following Pakistan's humiliating first round exit from the World Cup in the Caribbean last month.
According to sources, two of the World Cup squad members sure to be shown the door are Rana Naved and Kaneria.
Rana, 29, was counted as an integral part of Pakistan's ODI squad but has lost his touch following an injury-related absence from the national team in 2006. He recovered from a groin problem to make a comeback during Pakistan's tour of England last summer but has been a shadow of his former self, especially during the tour of South Africa earlier this year.
He was still retained in Pakistan's 15-man World Cup squad but was not played in the last two games of the event after an unimpressive outing against the West Indies in the opening match of the tournament in Kingston on March 13.
Rana, who made his international debut in April 2003 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, has so far taken 95 wickets from 65 one-day appearances. Also in the radar of the new selection committee for all the wrong reasons is Kaneria.
The leg-spinner surprisingly got the nod of approval from the previous selection committee for the World Cup though he was never in the picture for Pakistan's ODI squad.
He was touted as a trump card by the Pakistani management but turned out to be quite harmless in the West Indies where in Pakistan's last World Cup game against Zimbabwe, he was hit for 48 runs in just five overs. A specialist Test spinner, Kaneria has just taken 15 wickets from 18 ODI matches.
According to sources, the members of the new selection committee have already planned to drop Rana and Kaneria from the ODI squad.
Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman is expected to replace Kaneria in the ODI squad while another specialist spinner Tahir Khan may also be considered by the selection committee.
Opener Imran Nazir, however, is all set to get another chance mainly because of his electric knock of 160 in the World Cup win over Zimbabwe. Imran finished the World Cup as Pakistan's highest run-getter in the event mainly because of his career-saving innings against the Zimbabweans and is expected to be selected as one of three openers in the team.
Left-handed openers Imran Farhat and Salman Butt are likely to make a return to the side provided they prove their fitness in the training camp. Muhammad Hafeez, who opened for Pakistan in the World Cup, would only be considered as an all-rounder.
Meanwhile, the national selection committee had a marathon meeting at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday to discuss the list of probables to be invited for the national training camp.
Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed chaired the meeting. The committee will announce a list of 30 odd players for the camp today.
www.thenews.com.pk
'The News' learnt here through reliable sources that Rana and Kaneria, who were a part of Pakistan's World Cup squad, will not be retained in the national ODI team for the series against Sri Lanka to be played from May 9-15.
A new team of selectors would decide the squad for the Abu Dhabi assignment after a series of meetings before and after a preparatory camp to be held in Lahore from April 28 to May 4.
Pakistan are to announce their new ODI team on May 6 for the series against Abu Dhabi.
Several changes are expected in the team following Pakistan's humiliating first round exit from the World Cup in the Caribbean last month.
According to sources, two of the World Cup squad members sure to be shown the door are Rana Naved and Kaneria.
Rana, 29, was counted as an integral part of Pakistan's ODI squad but has lost his touch following an injury-related absence from the national team in 2006. He recovered from a groin problem to make a comeback during Pakistan's tour of England last summer but has been a shadow of his former self, especially during the tour of South Africa earlier this year.
He was still retained in Pakistan's 15-man World Cup squad but was not played in the last two games of the event after an unimpressive outing against the West Indies in the opening match of the tournament in Kingston on March 13.
Rana, who made his international debut in April 2003 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, has so far taken 95 wickets from 65 one-day appearances. Also in the radar of the new selection committee for all the wrong reasons is Kaneria.
The leg-spinner surprisingly got the nod of approval from the previous selection committee for the World Cup though he was never in the picture for Pakistan's ODI squad.
He was touted as a trump card by the Pakistani management but turned out to be quite harmless in the West Indies where in Pakistan's last World Cup game against Zimbabwe, he was hit for 48 runs in just five overs. A specialist Test spinner, Kaneria has just taken 15 wickets from 18 ODI matches.
According to sources, the members of the new selection committee have already planned to drop Rana and Kaneria from the ODI squad.
Left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman is expected to replace Kaneria in the ODI squad while another specialist spinner Tahir Khan may also be considered by the selection committee.
Opener Imran Nazir, however, is all set to get another chance mainly because of his electric knock of 160 in the World Cup win over Zimbabwe. Imran finished the World Cup as Pakistan's highest run-getter in the event mainly because of his career-saving innings against the Zimbabweans and is expected to be selected as one of three openers in the team.
Left-handed openers Imran Farhat and Salman Butt are likely to make a return to the side provided they prove their fitness in the training camp. Muhammad Hafeez, who opened for Pakistan in the World Cup, would only be considered as an all-rounder.
Meanwhile, the national selection committee had a marathon meeting at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday to discuss the list of probables to be invited for the national training camp.
Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed chaired the meeting. The committee will announce a list of 30 odd players for the camp today.
www.thenews.com.pk
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