Cloud over players gives Pakistan selection problem

It appears likely that the limited-overs series between England and Pakistan will go ahead in the aftermath of the spot-fixing allegations that have marred the tour. Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, has said that the four players allegedly involved will not be suspended unless the Scotland Yard investigations reveal something more concrete than allegations. This does not mean, however, that they will play. Speculation that the ICC and ECB have asked the PCB to drop the tainted players could mean that the PCB may choose to neither suspend nor select the four.

Pakistan have, however, a 16-man squad for the two Twenty20s and five ODIs and any such decision will leave them with just 12 players to choose from. And that is assuming that the News of the World allegation, that up to seven players - or more - could be involved, is proved untrue. If it isn't, then Pakistan simply don't have the numbers to put out a team without calling up reserves from home. If Kamran Akmal, for example, doesn't play, then there is no reserve wicketkeeper in the squad.

One solution could be to call on discarded players from the Test squad who might still be in the UK. Imran Farhat and the 18-year old left arm-spinner Raza Hasan are still in the country. Shoaib Malik has left for the US. Yasir Hameed and fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed were released from official duty on Monday and did not travel to Taunton with the squad. It is currently unclear whether they are still in London.

The extra wicketkeeper in the Test squad, Zulqarnain Haider, was sent back before the third Test at the Oval, having sustained a finger injury on his debut in the previous Test. Danish Kaneria was released from the Test squad early in the England series and though he remains with Essex, he has not been a part of Pakistan's limited-overs thinking since 2007. In any case he is currently on bail pending further inquiries in a separate spot-fixing investigation in Essex. The bail period ends on September 15, three days after the second ODI between England and Pakistan at Headingley.