Pakistan keep faith with Wasim

Wasim: Needs two wickets for 400 in Test cricket

Former captain Wasim Akram has been included in Pakistan's squad for the forthcoming Test series in Sri Lanka after losing his job as a TV commentator.

The all-rounder informed the selectors he would be available after being released from his contract with England's Channel 4, who had originally recruited him as a summariser for this summer's Tests against he West Indies.

Wasim's record

95 Tests; 2611 runs, 398 wickets

305 one-day internationals; 3222 runs, 425 wickets

"He is in form and will play a key role in Pakistan's team as he has in the past," said chief selector Wasim Bari.

Channel 4 took its decision following the recent announcement of the findings of the Pakistan judicial inquiry into allegations of match-fixing.

Wasim was one of seven players named in Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum's report, published last month.

He was cleared of an allegation that he paid paceman Ata-ur-Rehman to bowl badly during the 1993-4 tour to New Zealand and given "the benefit of the doubt" over a claim that he tampered with the batting order during the 1997 Sharjah Cup.

Fined

But Wasim was fined £3,700 and the report recommended that he should never captain Pakistan again. Justice Qayyum concluded: "He cannot be said to be above suspicion."

Shahid Afridi: Out of the Test reckoning

The Pakistan squad features one new face in 19-year-old batsman Qaisar Abbas, who earned his chance by averaging 55.86 in the last domestic season. He has already represented his country at under-19 level.

There is no place for all-rounder Shahid Afridi, but he will join the squad for the one-day internationals which follow the Tests.

Paceman Shoaib Akhtar and spinner Saqlain Mushtaq have not been included because they are contracted to English counties for the summer.

The Pakistan squad: Moin Khan (capt/wkt), Inzamam-ul-Haq (v-capt), Saeed Anwar, Imran Nazir, Yousuf Youhana, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Younis Khan, Arshad Khan, Shoaib Malik, Mushtaq Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim, Qaisar Abbas, Waqar Younis, Mohammad Akram, Shabbir Ahmed.

The Sri Lanka squad: S Jayasuryia (capt), A De Silva, M Jayawardena, R Arnold, C Vaas, M Murlitharan, U Chandana, M Attapattu, T Dilshan, I De Saram, K Weeratne, N Zoysa, S De Silva, R Kaluwitharana (wkt), A Ranatunga, C Silva, K Sangakkara (wkt), A Gunawardena, P Jayawardena, S Perera, R Perera, R Herath, D Hetterachi, D Fernando, R Pushpakumara, I Gallage.