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ISLAMABAD - Pakistan excluded three-time World Cup batsman Mohammad Yousuf from its 15-man squad for next month’s tournament and also delayed naming a captain on Tuesday.

The squad, with seven back from the tragic 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, featured few surprises with the selectors relying on two specialist spinners, Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal, for the spin-friendly pitches of the subcontinent.

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will lead the four-pronged pace attack which also includes Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and Sohail Tanvir, with allrounder Abdul Razzaq supplementing as a medium-pace bowler.

Pakistan’s batting will revolve around the experienced Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, with wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and his younger brother Umar strengthening the middle order.

Also picked were specialist openers Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad.

Yousuf made the 30-man preliminary World Cup squad but hasn’t played a one-dayer since he was recalled for the series-decider against South Africa last November in Dubai and made only 3.

The veteran of 281 ODIs for Pakistan, fifth-highest in team history, scored only one half-century in 10 matches last year.

Though he helped Pakistan reach the final of his first World Cup in 1999 in England, Yousuf scored only two half-centuries in 13 career World Cup matches.

Middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq was preferred in the 2011 squad for Yousuf, who was also ignored for the six-match one-day series against New Zealand starting this weekend.

The World Cup captain will be announced later, Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Nadeem Sarwar said on Tuesday without elaborating.

Local media have reported the PCB was considering handing over the captaincy to Misbah after his successful run as captain in tests against South Africa and New Zealand.

Shahid Afridi will lead Pakistan in the series against the Kiwis, starting in Wellington from Saturday.

Afridi, the most experienced player in the squad with 301 ODIs and three previous World Cups, was one of seven players back from the tournament four years ago, along with Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Younis, Razzaq, Gul, and Akhtar. At that tournament, Pakistan was eliminated in the group stage and coach Bob Woolmer died in his hotel room.

Pakistan will start its campaign against Kenya at Hambantota, Sri Lanka, on Feb. 23. It was in Group A with Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya.

Pakistan was dropped as a co-host due to security concerns, leaving Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka as the host countries.

TEAM:

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir.