Inzamam to lead Pakistan in Champions Trophy by AFP

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Event:

ICC Champions Trophy 2006/07

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DateLine: 7th September 2006

 

Pakistan cricket selectors Wednesday announced a 14-man squad for next month's Champions Trophy in India, retaining under-scrutiny Inzamam-ul-Haq as captain.

 

Inzamam is to face an International Cricket Council (ICC) code of conduct hearing at the end of this month and faces a possible suspension.

 

"We have proceeded as if Inzamam is available for selection," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman Abbas Zaidi told AFP.

 

The Pakistan captain was charged on two counts after Pakistan forfeited the fourth Test against England at The Oval last month, first his team was charged for ball tampering, and second for bringing the game into disrepute.

 

Pakistan refused to take the field after umpires Darrell Hair of Australia and Billy Doctrove of the West Indies changed the ball on suspicions of ball tampering and awarded five penalty runs to England.

 

Zaidi said PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has put his weight behind Inzamam.

 

"There are no reservations over Inzamam's captaincy and the PCB chairman has assured he would continue and if any other situation arises we will cross the bridge when it comes,' said Zaidi.

 

If Pakistan team is found guilty of ball tampering then the Pakistan captain faces a fine of between 50 and 100 percent of his match fee and a one Test or two one-day international (ODI) ban.

 

If he is found guilty on the second count he faces a ban of between two and four Test matches or four to eight ODI matches.

 

The biennial Champions Trophy begins with a qualifying phase in India from on October 7 and the group stage starts on Octber 15.

 

Pakistan take on a qualifier at Jaipur on October 17 and meet New Zealand and South Africa in later matches. The final will be held on Nov. 5.

 

Pakistan's Champions Trophy squad bears two changes from the team currently playing the five-match one-day series in England. Middle order batsman Shahid Yousuf and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria are dropped.

 

Squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Younis Khan, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Mohammad Hafeez, Iftikhar Anjum.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)