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KARACHI, March 31: Former captain Salim Malik was included in the Pakistan cricket team for the World Cup as the national selectors submitted a 15-man squad to the cricket board for approval by its executive council, informed sources in Lahore said.

April 3 is the final date for submitting the squad to the World Cup organizers and chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Majid Khan was not willing to release the squad to the media before getting clearance from the competent authorities.

``I didn't receive the team today. But if the selectors say they have faxed it, then we will take the clearance from the executive council on telephone and will release it to the media,'' Majid said from Lahore.

Nusrat Azeem, president of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) and the senior-most councillor, told Dawn that the team would most likely be approved without any objection. ``We have hardly raised any objections (in the past) and the tradition would be retained this time also.''

Azeem said he was personally very satisfied with the job of the selectors. ``Their selected teams have performed brilliantly in India and in that background one has reasons to believe that there would not be any objections.''

He said the executive council had complete confidence in the selection committee ``and we know that they must have picked the best players.''

Azeem said it would have been better if a meeting of the executive council had been arranged for approving the team. ``But that is now not possible. However, a meeting is expected on April 22 or 23 and will discuss the team and other issues then.''

Malik, dropped after the tour of India, has been included along side Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmad who also missed the Indian tri-nation series. The two will also not be going to Sharjah for the Champions Trophy but Salim Malik is expected to join the team in the desert city along with Wajahatullah Wasti.

``The team management wanted Salim Malik in India and the selectors have no objection. But it is upto the cricket board to finalize his tour plans,'' a source close to the selectors said.

Malik, till late Wednesday evening, was in Lahore.

Salim Malik is Pakistan's second leading run-getter in limited overs internationals after Javed Miandad. He has scored 7,053 runs in 276 matches at an average of 33.11. Waqar Younis also has a phenomenal record as his 282 wickets have come in just 172 matches at an average of little over 23. experienced wrist spinner like Mushtaq Ahmad.''

The 15 players picked for the World Cup are:

Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Wajahatullah Wasti, Ijaz Ahmad, Salim Malik, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Moin Khan (vice captain), Wasim Akram (captain), Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Azhar Mahmood, Abdur Razzak, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmad.

Reserves: Arshad Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Shahid Nazir, Sajid Shah and Imran Nazir.