The Pakistan selectors have included two uncapped players, Mohammad Aamer and Shahzaib Hasan, in the 15-member squad for the ICC World Twenty20 to be played in England in June.

Aamer, the skiddy left-arm fast bowler who is a fans favourite, was finally included after a very strong showing in his maiden domestic season, taking 56 first-class wickets in ten games for Rawalpindi. The 17-year-old Aamer also took 25 wickets in 15 one-dayers and was initially included in the squad for the Bangladesh tour which was postponed.

He was also a part of the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia last year but his tournament was cut short by illness. For the greater part of last year, he has been - alongside Mohammad Talha - the most talked-up pace prospect in Pakistan circles, a stamp of approval from fellow leftie Wasim Akram has definitely helped his cause. Wasim in fact stated several months ago that he felt that Aamer was ready for international cricket.

Hasan, 19, is a diminutive opening batsman, and he too has enjoyed very healthy returns in his debut first-class season, scoring 607 runs in ten matches for Karachi Blues at the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. In one-dayers, he has scored 250 runs in seven games at a strike rate of 96.11.

Apart from the 2 rookies, there are no real surprises. No doubt, Shoaib Akhtar's inclusion, in light of his tired displays against Australia - he didn't once bowl ten overs in the four games he played is a contentious one. Rao Iftikhar Anjum, who's been one of Pakistan's leading ODI bowlers over the last two years in the one-dayers: in the last 12 months he has taken 21 wickets in 14 games. However, a wicketless showing in the two matches he played against Australia in the UAE ultimately hindered his case. The biggest worry for Pakistan fans will be the opning combination of Salman Butt and Ahmed Shehzad who apart from one match failed to inspire in the UAE.

 

Squad: Younis Khan (capt), Salman Butt, Ahmed Shehzad, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wk), Fawad Alam, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Yasir Arafat, Saeed Ajmal, Shahzaib Hasan