Shahid Afridi and Company to Leave For New Zealand for ODI Series Starting January 22

Pakistan ODI captain Shahid Afridi along with four other players will leave here on Monday mid night for Bangkok on his way to New Zealand where they will appear in the ODI series against the host that commence from January 22 after the completion of second test of the 2-Test series now in progress there.

Other players, who will accompany the captain are, Abdul Razzaq, Ahmed Shahzad, Shoaib Akhtar and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.

Saeed Ajmal, who rushed home from New Zealand after his father passed away suddenly a few days ago, may also leave with the group.

In the meantime, it has been learnt that the PCB Chairman visited Ghari Khuda Bukhsh in the interior of Sindh where the construction of a new international standard cricket ground has just under progress. In a brief talk with the media there, the PCB head is reported to have said that the tainted trio Salman Butt, M Asif and M Aamir would be included in Pakistan World Cup squad if they were exonerated from the charges.

An ICC committee looking into allegations would deliver its verdict on the case of spot-fixing on February 5. January 19 is the last date for submitting the final 15-member squad for the quadrennial competition which will be played in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In the meantime, M Yousuf has wished to play the coming World Cup and was hopeful that his name would be in the squad of 15.

He told media here on Sunday at NBP cricket ground where the national one-day division-II matches were being played that after his performance in the one-dayer, he was confident of his inclusion. Moreover, he added that he was training regularly and his fitness and form were good to get him in the team.