They announced the 15 member squad today. The biggest surprise was Bazid Khan taking Mohammad Yusuf’s place. What the heck were they thinking??
Pakistan squad for Champions Trophy:
Shoaib Malik (capt), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wk), Bazid Khan, Khalid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Iftikhar Anjum, Abdur Rauf, Saeed Ajmal
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
AKHTER IS BACK 
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
I would have expected Yasir Arafat to be included. He has been doing pretty well for Kent in the English County Season.
Now wait just a minute, Kamran Akmal is back in the squad? Again? What happened to grooming a new talent, how long are we planning on doing this? This is a surprise as any.
I suppose Bazid Khan can take the honors of replacing Yousuf. Imagine if it had been Hafeez.
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
Surprise surprise, Akmal and Rao are back. Son of a nutcracker.
Oh well, what can you do if the selection committee is dull of douche bags. Other than these two, squad looks solid. Man, I wish Yousuf hadn't opted out and Asif wasn't such a mofo.
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
Kamran Akmal. 
Desperation.
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
That lad from the under 19 (what’s his name?) is a lot better specially given that Akmal can not be really trusted on his bating skills plus can equally be trusted on dropping dollies 
I wudnt agree there, he is not the best opener but having Imran nazir in ICL i think he is next best out of what we have. I think he shld play as a batsman i havent seen sarfraz keep so i wonder if he is as good as you guys r sayin
I think Mohammed Yousaf is out coz of ramazan, i read in cric info but am still wondering, y ?
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
So who will replace Akhtar from 2nd game on? (of course he will sit out after bowling 5 overs due to injury)
Looks like Akmal nai abhee tak DVD player nahiee khareeda hai 
Famous line from Azfar-Mani show
Azfar: Gilchrist nai retirement lai lee hai. Gilly said that he watched his lousy performance’s dvd after the game and decided this is the time to hang the boots
Mani: tu Kamran Akmal k pass kia DVD player nahi hai? 
Oh well, what can you do if the selection committee is dull of douche bags.
Well, the selection committee might be that what you suggested (if Aamir Sohail was leading the committee) but Shoaib Malik was persisting with Akmal before, he kept the same keeper in the team for as long as he could before the selectors finally gave the boot to Akmal, giving temporary relief. Two months down the road, and we are in the same position as we were before. Keeper dilemma, refusal to identify the talent and groom them. For one step forward, we have taken ten steps back. Plus dropped catches, for relying on Akmal to save us in the batting. I mean for 8 matches he has played, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Hong Kong make up for half. He has not batted in 6 of those 8 matches.
This is just not right.
I havent seen sarfraz keep so i wonder if he is as good as you guys r sayin
His keeping is decent, he could very well be groomed to our permanent keeper, if things go in his favor. Oh well to that idea. Why bother with any of this? Why was Kamran 'rested' in the first place? So he could be selected in two months while no word was sent about Sarfaraz? All politics.
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
I think good selection..best possible team....I am happy to see Khalid in the squad and Fawad out.
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
*Guess who's back? Ahahahahahhaha.
Sorry, had to laugh at all the Akhtar haters. When you have to resort to the likes of Rao to open the bowling, such a return becomes inevitable.*
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
Shoaib Akhtar, Bazid named in 15-man squad: ICC Champions Trophy
By Mohammad Yaqoob
LAHORE, Aug 12: Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and middle-order batsman Bazid Khan made surprise comebacks while talented youngsters Saeed Ajmal, Khalid Latif and Abdul Rauf retained their places from last month’s Asia Cup as Pakistan named a 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held from Sept 12 to 28.
The inclusion of Shoaib, who has been out of international cricket for almost eight months now due to various disciplinary offences, was the most significant development when the team was announced by Chief Selector Salahuddin Ahmed at a crowded press conference here on Tuesday.
The maverick pacer, nicknamed the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ nearly ended his international career last June by criticising the board’s policies in public. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) imposed a five-year ban on him for the offence but later on, Shoaib got some relief from the Appellate Tribunal (AT) which reduced the ban to 18 months alongwith a fine of rupees seven million.
Shoaib then challenged the AT decision before the Lahore High Court which immediately suspended the ban while keeping the fine penalty intact. It is to the credit of the paceman that he not only cleared a dope test conducted by the board recently but also worked tirelessely to get in shape for the practice matches held in Multan last week where he impressed all and sundry with his pace and commitment.
Besides Shoaib, the only other surprise choice is middle-order batsman Bazid Khan who was included in place of seasoned campaigner Mohammad Yousuf who opted out of the Champions Trophy due to Ramazan.
Bazid, son of former captain Majid Khan, specially came back from England to play two trial matches in Multan and finally found a place in the squad.
Bazid, whose four-year international career is rather a chequered one, has represented Pakistan in five ODIs, scoring a total of 131 runs. His only Test match was against the West Indies in 2004.
The inclusion of half-fit fast bowler Umar Gul, all-rounder Shahid Afridi and opener Salman Butt is bound to raise a few eye brows also in the cricketing circles since the three players along with seasoned batsman Younis Khan have been selected without either proving their match-fitness or playing the trial matches.
It is common knowledge that both Umar and Afridi have had serious fitness problems of late while Younis deliberately kept himself away from the trial matches and yet the selectors have selected them for the all-important event, overlooking all selection criteria. It is being said that the selectors are hoping that they would be in perfect shape before the start of the event but it is, after all, conjecture and no solid argument.
“Dr Mohammad Ali Shah of the PCB Governing Board gave fitness report about Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi and therefore they were selected,” said chief selector Salahuddin. “Salman is our top opener and he will recover in time from his recent surgery,” he added.
About Afridi’s pathetic form in the recent past, chief selector said the bowler had more than made up for that with his 47 scalps in 2007-08 season and deserved his place in the team. “Many great cricketers like Gary Sobers have been through poor form but it does not mean you ignore an experienced player for such a high-profile tournament,” he contended.
Wicket-keeper/batsman Kamran Akmal, who was given a rest during the last Asia Cup also came back in the side on Tuesday. “Kamran was impressive in the trial matches, therefore, he was included in the team,” said the chief selector.
Sources close to the PCB confirmed that there was a lot of bitterness on Kamran’s selection between the selectors and the team management and eventually a bargain was struck to accommodate both Afridi and Karman which sort of settled the debate. The selectors, apparently, got their way by accommodating Afridi in place of Fawad Alam while the team management got Kamran in for young, talented Sarfraz Ahmed.
“We discussed different options with the coach and captain and had their input which I cannot disclose in detail. But this is the best available team that should emerge as a winning bunch,” said Salahuddin.
The inclusion of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal indicates that captain Shoaib Malik will not be bowling as a regular bowler. Some experts, however, feel that talented left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman could have been a better choice because of his good combination with wrist spinner Afridi.
Salman Butt and Nasir Jamshed are the two regular openers in the squad but it is the middle-order department which appears somewhat weak with only two experienced batsmen Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq to hold the fort against top-ranked teams in the competition.
Both Bazid Khan and Khalid Latif are quite inexperienced are not expected to bear the burden when it matters most.
The fast bowling department appears good but not too formidable despite the return of Shoaib Akhtar. With a question mark on Umar Gul’s fitness, the pressure will be on young pacers Sohail Tanvir and Abdul Rauf who are fairly inexperienced. Rao Iftikhar has also looked ordinary in the recent games and with just 61 wickets in 51 ODIs, is no match-winner.
Squad:
Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wicket-keeper), Bazid Khan, Khalid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar, Abdur Rauf, Saeed Ajmal.
Shoaib Akhtar, Bazid named in 15-man squad: ICC Champions Trophy -DAWN - Sport; August 13, 2008
game ji, no one has anything against Akhtar personally. If he performs the way he should, he is an asset if not he is just an ass--.
yep and guess what might happen once he bowls 4 overs on the trot … hmmmm no need to explain 
on a serious note i wish+pray and hope he stays fit and help us win something noteworthy after a long time
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
Why wasn't the under 19 left hand fast bowler Mohammad Amir selected. Wasim Akram praises him and wants him in the team.
Akhtar was born today - August 13.
Aajkal LEO log kaa time theek nahi chal raha hai…
I should know, I am Leo too.
Sources close to the PCB confirmed that there was a lot of bitterness on Kamran’s selection between the selectors and the team management and eventually a bargain was struck to accommodate both Afridi and Karman which sort of settled the debate. The selectors, apparently, got their way by accommodating Afridi in place of Fawad Alam while the team management got Kamran in for young, talented Sarfraz Ahmed.
Team management persisting with Kamran Akmal due to the impression in trial matches. No comment.
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
with Akhter an almost liability, Gul not even 100% fit, Never threatening Rao, Sohail Miss or hit, Lower middle order lacking spark with out of form afridi....can selectors have one valid reason to not to include Yasir Arafat?
The guy has done everything to get into national team, had a good test debute in india...only to be sat outside of next International games played by Pak (almost 15-16 games). Yasir is performing well for Kent, has gotten a contract with IPL and selectors will still ignore him as if he doesnt exist!
Re: Pak Champions Trophy Squad - your thoughts.
Misbah replaced Mohammad Yousif in the Twenty-20 squad last year and has been the integral part of the team since. I am hoping Bazid can do the same and prove his selection.