The chances of Ahmed Shahzad’s inclusion in a boot camp seems to end for the time being after the axed opener met the chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq in Lahore where he clarified his position but to no avail.
Shehzad, declared the best batsman in the Pakistan Cup with 372 runs, was hard done by the selection committee which dropped him from the boot camp where 35 players will train as an initial squad for the England tour.
Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan, who himself violated discipline and had to apologize after Pakistan Cricket Board served a show cause notice, backed Shehzad and tried to convince the PCB to include the in-trouble opener.
“Shehzad met Inzamam in Lahore and clarified his position but the chief selector did not relent,” said sources.
PCB had also contacted the chief selector after Shehzad wrote a letter, asking them to include him in the boot camp following his good showing in the Pakistan Cup.
“Inzamam also consulted his committee who unanimously suggested that if Shehzad was included at this point of time then it would send wrong signals and will push the committee on the back foot whenever such a situation arises,” said sources.
The boot camp will be held in Abottabad from May 14 to June 4 and will also be attended by newly appointed coach Mickey Arthur once he arrived in Pakistan in the last week of May.
Pakistan will play four Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 on their tour of England starting with the first Test at Lord’s fromJuly 14.
Shahzad is one of the most successful batsman across all three formats but had discipline e problems under former coach Waqar Younis who gave a negative account of the youngster in his final report after the World Cup 2015 and World Twenty20 2016.