Misbah-ul-Haq has been named as captain for Pakistan, who were champions the last time the event was held in Australia and New Zealand in 1992.
Chairman PCB Shaharyar Mohammad Khan has approved Pakistan’s 30-member preliminary squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 following its recommendation by the selection committee headed by Moin Khan,.
The ICC World Cup commences in Australia and New Zealand on February 14, 2015, with Pakistan featuring in its first game against arch-rival India on Feb. 15 at Adelaide.
The preliminary squad contains five openers, nine middle order batsmen, six pace bowlers, four spinners, four all-rounders and two wicket-keepers.
Chief Selector Moin Khan Quotes:
“At the moment, winning or losing aside, Team Pakistan is performing adequately well in all three formats of the game. The belief in the think tank is that the squad holds immense potential and promise to perform in any conditions.
“The most positive aspect is that some of our foremost proven talents have overcome physical issues and are raring to be given an opportunity to have a tilt at the global honours.
“In our assessment, by the time the five 50-over games in the UAE against the Black Caps and the away short ODI series against New Zealand as well as the practice games are over in the next two months or thereabouts immediately prior to the mega event, Team Pakistan will be close to hitting its peak.
“For me personally, the 1992 World Cup victory ranks amongst our greatest cricketing achievements. I am positive that the present outfit too has the capacity to replicate that triumph Down Under”.
The Preliminary Squad:
Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Sharjeel Khan, Sami Aslam, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Sohaib Maqsood, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Ehsan Adil, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Raza Hasan, Yasir Shah, Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Sarfraz Ahmed, Kamran Akmal.
