Date-stamped : 04 May97 - 14:16 03 May 1997 Saeed Anwar comes back for Indian tour Ilyas Beg LAHORE, May 2: The experienced Test opener Ramiz Raja has been retained as captain, the dashing left-hand opener Saeed Anwar (making a comeback after regaining fitness and missing Sharjah Cup and the tour of Sri Lanka) as vice-captain and the former Test all-rounder Nasim-ul-Ghani as tour manager of the Pakistan cricket team named for the Independence Cup Cricket Tournament to be held in India . The 14 cricketers picked for the team include young middle-order batsman Hasan Raza, who made history by playing his first Test at the youngest age (eclipsing Mushtaq Muhammad's record), Lahore's young international paceman Abdul Razzaq and the Test left-arm spinner Muhammad Hussain. The last-mentioned two players had been sent to Sri Lanka on a request from the tour management to substitute the injured world-class speed-merchants Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis but could not get a chance to play in the second Test at Kandy. The experienced Test fast-medium bowler Aaqib Javed, who has always bowled splendidly in one-day internationals, but had fallen favour of the selectors, has also been recalled along with the dashing young all-rounder Shahid Afridi. In fact, both Aaqib Javed and Shahid Afridi forced their way into the team by exhibiting flabbergasting form and fitness while grabbing the first International Floodlit Double Wicket Cricket Championship at the Qadhafi Stadium on April 25, beating all the foreign pairs fairly and squarely. Along with Nasim-ul-Ghani as the tour manager, Mushtaq Muhammad has been retained as the coach and Dr Dan Kiesel as the physiotherapist. The Pakistan team will face stiff challenge in the forthcoming four-nation Independence Cup from the World Cup champion Sri Lanka side, the former World Cup champion and the host Indian team and the fast-improving New Zealand side (which had recently defeated Sri Lankans both in the Test and one-day international home series). The Pakistan team will also sadly miss the incomparable attack bowlers Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. The in-form toe-crusher Waqar Younis had informed about his non-availability to the Pakistan cricket Board (PCB) due to contractual obligation with the English county Glamorgan before also getting unfortunately unfit due to hairline fracture in his foot. The left-arm all-rounder Wasim Akram was keen to lead the Pakistan team in the Independence Cup in India and had showed willingness to seek his release from his county Lancashire but sadly developed pain in his functional shoulder and had to rush to Britain from Sri Lanka to get himself treated and be fit before the beginning of the English cricket season. The experienced right-arm leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmad will also be sorely missed as he could have proved effective on the turning pitches of India. The PCB secretary Waqar Ahmad told this reporter on Friday afternoon that Mushtaq Ahmad had recovered from the knee-trouble he recurred in Sri Lanka but informed that his county Somerset was not willing to release him even temporarily. Batting seems to be a strong point of the Pakistan team and could prove match-winning during the Independence Cup. Besides the experienced captain Ramiz Raja, the Pakistani batting has been re-furbished by the comeback of the reliable left-hand opener Saeed Anwar, who had to miss the Sharjah Cup and tour of Sri Lanka due to sickness. It has strong middle-order in presence of the experienced and in-form brothers-in-law Salim Malik and Ejaz Ahmad Senior, youngsters Hasan Raza and Muhammad Wasim, a far-improved wicketkeeper/batsman Moin Khan (now recovered from foot injury) and the dashing stroke-player Inzimam-ul-Haq, who has the ability to tear apart any bowling on any type of pitch on his day. The Pakistan team, in pace-bowling, will have to rely heavily on Aaqib Javed. Young Abdul Razzaq is very promising medium-pacer (having proved his worth in the junior series in Pakistan against England "A" side and in South Africa) and also a more-than-useful batsman. Young Azhar Mahmood, although has not been able to perform to his potential up till now, yet he is a good medium-pacer and fast-hitting batsman. Azhar Mahmood, Abdul Razzaq and Salim Malik are capable of giving useful all-round performance, but the most outstanding all-rounder in the team is young Shahid Afridi. If gets going, he can "murder" any pace or spin bowling with his superlative hitting on his day. This reporter had the honour to watch Shahid Afridi's world record-breaking century against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in October last year and lately (April 22 to 25) during the first International Double Wicket Cricket Tournament at the Qadhafi Stadium. Shahid Afridi is also expected to help Pakistan team in winning matches by bowling his right-arm leg-breaks, flippers and top-spinners on the slow, turning pitches of India. He does not give much air to his deliveries and does not believe in flighting them. He also lacks the experience and control of the diminutive Pakistani right-arm leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmad (who will be sorely missed in India) but he pushes the ball effectively and baffles the batsmen. In spin-department, the Pakistani team will be served the best by off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who has proved the main tormentor of the opposing team during Tests and one-day international matches during the last three or four years. The left-arm spinner Muhammad Hussain is also a good bowler and a useful tailend batsman. The Pakistan team, although has been showing signs of improvement, yet it is not as good in fielding as the three other participating are. And fielding usually proves a match-winning factor in cricket, particularly in the limited-over games. The deficiency of experience in bowling will also be a handicap. Despite these shortcomings, some very fortunate teams will be able to beat the Pakistan side in the Independence Cup Cricket Tournament. The team consists of the following: Captain Ramiz Raja, vice-captain Saeed Anwar, Ejaz Ahmad Senior, Salim Malik, Inzimam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Wasim, Hasan Raza, Azhar Mahmood, Shahid Afridi, Moin Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Muhammad Hussain, Aaqib Javed and Abdul Razzaq. Tour Manager: Nasim-ul-Ghani. Cricket manager: Mushtaq Muhammad. Physiotherapist: Dr Dan Kiesel. Source:: Dawn (http://xiber.com/dawn/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)