Twenty20 World Cup Cricket 2007: Pakistan Squad and Profile

Pakistan declared a squad of 15 players for Twenty20 World Cup Cricket 2007 which is going to hold in South Africa form 11 September. The members are Shoaib Malik (captain), Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Kamran Akmal, Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, Mohammad Asif, Salman Butt, Umar Gul, Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Rao Iftikhar, Younus Khan, Imran Nazir, Abdul Rehman.

Sporting Life has published Pakistan cricketer’s complete profile such as:

Shoaib Malik (captain)

A versatile and talented batsman, who has batted everywhere from one to seven in Tests and ODIs for Pakistan, and also a capable if controversial offspinner, who has twice had his action called into question. Those setbacks seem to have encouraged him to focus on his batting, and he is nothing if not adaptable - as that shuttling up and down the order testifies. Promoted to one-day captain when Inzamam-ul-Haq's stood down after Pakistan's awful and tragic World Cup.

Shahid Afridi

No longer able to pin down a place even in 50-over cricket, this is a tournament that should have Afridi and his fans licking their lips. Originally selected for Pakistan as a teenage legspinner, he promptly pinch-hit the fastest ever ODI century in his first innings. His determination to attack at all costs has often proved his undoing, and as a result has had a stop-start career. But on his day he can destroy any attack, while his varied box of legspinning tricks can also have an impact.

Shoaib Akhtar

One of the most exciting and controversial cricketers of the modern age, Shoaib burst onto the scene at the 1999 World Cup with his long hair and blistering pace. But eight years, numerous injuries, chucking allegations and an overturned drugs ban later, there's a nagging sense of a talent unfulfilled. Perhaps too focused on breaking the 100mph barrier than taking wickets, the Rawalpindi Express is a cricketer with a point to prove.

Kamran Akmal

Impressive keeper-batsman who looked to have made the position his own, taking over from Moin Khan and Rashid Latif. Impressive glovework allied to high-class batting - Akmal has four Test tons and three in ODIs - looked to have secured him a place in the team for years to come. But a horror tour of England where catches were fumbled and runs dried up left him vulnerable. The glovework improved, but the batting slump has continued.

Fawad Alam

A hard-hitting allrounder and one of the stars of Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 competition, Alam's international career got off to a poor start; not used with the ball, he then fell first ball. His five-wicket haul and 54 runs in a losing cause for Karachi Dolphins in the Twenty20 Cup final helped secure his spot for this competition, and his 20-over record is superb, averaging over 40 with the bat and 11-and-change with the ball.

Yasir Arafat

A bowling allrounder who should be familiar to Britsh cricket fans, Arafat looks to have the right ingredients for this form of the game. Has played for Sussex and Kent in county cricket, as well as Scotland, and his slingy action can make him hard to read. A useful hitter down the order, his form with Kent this summer earned him a central contract for the first time.

Mohammad Asif

Hugely promising quick bowler, whose fledgling career has already been hit by injury and controversy. Banned along with Shoaib for using banned steroid nandrolone, it looked like a career on the up and up had been dealt a critical blow. But his ban was overturned. Injury kept him out of the World Cup, but he's back now, and when fully fit is one of the most exciting young bowlers around.

Salman Butt

A wristy left-handed opener who has inevitably been compared to Saeed Anwar, Butt is an accumulator rather than destroyer at the top of the order. Averages around 30 in both Tests and ODIs, and has therefore failed to really pin down a spot in either form. Not selected for the World Cup, Butt is back in favour and has the temperament and talent to improve those career stats.

Umar Gul

Impressive fast bowler who first showed his promise when taking India's much-vaunted top order apart in 2003-4, picking up five cheap wickets. With higher-profile quicks like Asif, Shoaib and Mohammad Sami all out of the reckoning at various times for various reasons, the reliable Gul has emerged as arguably the most important of Pakistan's seamers, moving the ball both ways and causing batsmen problems with a good high action.

Mohammad Hafeez

A very useful all-round cricketer, Hafeez's major role is batting at the top of the innings. A well-organised and tenacious opening batsman, his best work for Pakistan has generally come in the five-day form of the game. But his tidy offspin and lightning reflexes in the field make him a very handy option for skipper Malik in the shorter formats.

Misbah-ul-Haq

There are many players for whom this tournament has provided an unexpected second chance at international cricket, and Misbah is one such man. Played a clutch of Tests and ODIs at the start of the century with limited success, but a stellar domestic season coupled with Pakistan's desire to make changes after the World Cup saw the 33-year-old back in the frame, surprisingly picked here ahead of Mohammad Yousuf.

Rao Iftikhar

Right-arm swing bowler who has been used almost exlusively in one-day cricket by Pakistan - he was wicketless in his sole Test - Iftikhar's chances at international level have generally come through injuries or other problems for more senior pacemen. His stock ball is the outswinger, but he has the ability to reverse-swing the ball while his well-directed yorkers make him an option at the end of an innings.

Younus Khan

The only remaining member of Pakistan's much-vaunted middle-order triumvirate of Younus, Yousuf and Inzamam in this squad, Younus is one of the best around. A classical batsman particularly strong between backward point and extra cover, his sumptuous drives are generally completed with one knee on the turf and applause all round the ground. Has grit to go with the glamour, and will be expected to carry a new-look batting line-up.

Imran Nazir

A prodigiously-gifted opening batsman, Nazir's occasional lack of footwork has been exposed at Test level. Batsmen like Hafeez, Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar have rather upstaged Nazir in recent times, but an explosive 160 against Zimbabwe was a rare high point for Pakistan in the World Cup, and kept him in the fray at least in the shorter forms of the game.

Abdul Rehman

A canny spinner in limited-overs cricket, Rehman has never been a big turner of the cricket ball but does offer his captain control with orthodox left-armers. Made his international debut at 26 - a veteran in subcontinent terms - and has done well enough so far, averaging around 23 in ODIs with an economy rate under four an over. It is this last stat that could make him a key figure in South Africa.

After practices under new coach and play some practices match with different country they will be perfect for Twenty20 World Cup Cricket 2007.