Akhtar unlikely to be a part of Sri Lanka-bound squad

Controversial Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar is unlikely to make it to the Sri Lanka-bound Test squad despite recovering from a skin infection which led to his exclusion from the World Twenty20 team.

The interim selection committee Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Wasim Bari is presently in England to discuss with captain Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam before announcing the team for Sri Lanka.

Pakistan will play three Test matches, five one-day internationals and a one-off Twenty20 game in Sri Lanka starting June 27, which will also be their first full Test series starting against any country since touring India two years back.

"Shoaib (Akhtar) is unlikely to win the votes of Younis (Khan) and Intikhab (Alam) who are not happy with his attitude. Though he is training once again he is not likely to be part of the touring squad," a PCB source said.

The selectors are also expected to drop pacer Sohail Tanvir, opener Ahmed Shahzad, Shahzab Hasan, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Fawad Alam for the series with senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf, openers Khurrum Manzoor, Nasir Jamshed, Faisal Iqbal and leg spinner Danish Kaneria set to make comebacks.

"The selectors are also under pressure to consider Rana Naved, another ICL player, who has been performing well in England for Yorkshire," the source said.

The source confirmed that Yousuf is a certainty for the tour in both the Test as well as the ODI squads.

"What is clear is that the chief selector wants to have separate Test and ODI teams for the tour and will discuss this with the captain and coach to get their consent," the source said.

However, chances of the selectors considering Imran Nazir for the tour are slim since the PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt is still said to be upset with the opener for his behavior during the final of the national T20 championship in Lahore.