Afridi and Akmals make final cut

Iconic Shahid Afridi is set to be part of Pakistan's World Twenty20 defence after sealing their victory at Lord's last year

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Pakistan have selected tainted trio Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers, Kamran and Umar, in their 15-man squad to defend the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

The Pakistan Cricket Board heavily fined Afridi plus the two Akmals on Wednesday and also put the three players on six-month probation, on grounds of indiscipline during their tour of Australia earlier this year.

The PCB acted on the recommendations made in a report submitted by a six-man inquiry committee, constituted to probe Pakistan’s debacle in Australia where they lost every match of the tour.

Significantly, the PCB’s selection committee - headed by Mohsin Khan - has not yet named a captain for the World Twenty20.

Former skipper Shoaib Malik and seamer Rana Naved-ul Hasan, who were named in the preliminary 30-strong squad, were both banned for a year by the PCB and consequently not included in the final party.

Middle-order batsman Misbah-ul Haq and opener Salman Butt made the cut, despite not being involved in Pakistan’s most recent Twenty20 series - against England in the United Arab Emirates.

Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, who were banned from the national team for an indefinite period, were not in the original 30.

Pakistan squad for World Twenty20: Salman Butt, Mohammad Hafeez, Khalid Latif, Misbah-ul-Haq, Fawad Alam, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Yasir Arafat, Hammad Azam, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal.

Reserves: Shahzaib Hasan, Mohammad Sami, Raza Hasan, Naveed Yasin, Sarfraz Ahmed.