Pakistan ignores Kamran, Hafeez for ODIs against Australia

Pakistan on Friday ignored experienced cricketers Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez for the forthcoming ODI series in Australia while also axing leg-spinner Yasir Shah for the five-match rubber, starting next month.

The national selectors ignored Kamran despite the wicket-keeper batsman having a sizzling season with the bat in which he has scored seven centuries.

Similarly, Hafeez was also ignored although he has resumed bowling in domestic cricket after being cleared by the ICC last month.

Reliable sources close to the selectors told PTI that while the national selection committee headed by Inzamam-ul-Haq wanted to include Kamran as a specialist batsman and Hafeez in the ODI squad, ODI captain Azhar Ali and head coach Mickey Arthur had strongly resisted their selection.

“There was lot of debate on the inclusion of Kamran who last played an ODI for Pakistan in June 2013 but Azhar and Arthur told Inzamam they wanted to continue with Mohammad Rizwan as the reserve keeper and batsman in the squad,” a source said.