Pakistan announces T20 squad for series against West Indies, Umar Akmal returns

Karachi: Pakistan cricket's enfant terrible Umar Akmal has made a comeback to the national team for the Twenty20 series against the West Indies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from September 23.

Akmal was named in a 15-member squad which will play three T20 internationals against the world champions.

Akmal was ignored for the tour to England and its preparatory camps on disciplinary grounds but he has been on fire in the ongoing national T20 championship having blasted a hundred and other big scores.

Akmal had met with the Chairman of the cricket board, Shaharyar Khan and apologised for his behaviour and also confirmed he would follow all guidelines given to him by the board and management after which Khan cleared him for national selection.

The selectors have, however, ignored opener Ahmed Shahzad, who was also dropped for the England tour on disciplinary grounds and has also been struggling for form in the national event.

Besides Akmal, the national selectors have also recalled allrounder, Saad Naseem after he last played in a T20 international against New Zealand in December, 2014.

Left-arm pacer Rumaan Raees, who was announced in the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup and World T20 but then ruled out with an injury, got another chance to make his international debut.

Tall left-arm pacer Muhammad Irfan, who was picked for the England match but had to return home with a groin, problem has not been considered for the West Indies series as he has been directed to undergo rehabilitation at the national cricket academy by the team's head coach, Mickey Arthur.

Pakistan squad:

Sarfaraz Ahmed (Capt), Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Babar Azam, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Muhammad Rizwan, Emad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, Muhammad Aamir, Sohail Tanvir, Muhammad Nawaz, Saad Nasim and Rumaan Raees.