KARACHI — Pakistan selectors have included suspended off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in a preliminary squad of 30 players for next year's cricket World Cup. Ajmal was suspended from bowling by the International Cricket Council in September after failing a biomechanics test in Brisbane. A board official said Ajmal had been named in the preliminary squad as he was in the process of correcting his action and would soon appear for an ICC biomechanics test. Selectors have also recalled senior players Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik in the squad for the Feb. 14 to March 29 tournament in Australia and New Zealand. Chief selector Moin Khan said the squad held immense potential and would be able to perform in any conditions. “The most positive aspect is that some of our foremost proven talents have overcome physical issues and are raring to be given an opportunity to have a tilt at the global honors,” he said in a statement. Countries have to finalize their 15 member squads for the World Cup by Jan. 7. The World Cup commences in Australia and New Zealand on Feb. 14, with Pakistan facing arch-rival India in its first Group B game a day later at Adelaide. Squad: Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Sharjeel Khan, Sami Aslam, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Sohaib Maqsood, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Ehsan Adil, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Raza Hasan, Yasir Shah, Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Sohail Tanvir, Sarfraz Ahmad, Kamran Akmal. Pakistan-New Zealand ODIs Pakistan and New Zealand start a five-match one-day series in Dubai Monday with the focus on building confidence and momentum for next year's World Cup. It promises to be a keenly-fought contest after they ended honors even in both the three-Test series and the two-match Twenty20. Pakistan skipper Misbahul Haq admitted his team can build confidence and momentum. “This is one of our last chances before the World Cup, to look how we will go into the World Cup so the focus is on that,” said Misbah Saturday. “Pitches are different here (from Australia and New Zealand where the World Cup is being hosted) but I still think the confidence and the momentum of this series will help us and it will not matter even if we are playing on different pitches here.” Pakistan has recalled experienced batsman Younis Khan after dropping him from the three-match one-day series against Australia which it lost 3-0 in October. “We want to go in with genuine openers and want the first four batsmen settled before going to the World Cup,” said Misbah. The remaining one-day matches will be played in Sharjah (Dec. 12 and 14) and Abu Dhabi (Dec. 17 and 19). Cook retained captain England named a provisional 30-man squad on Saturday for next year's one-day World Cup with Alastair Cook as captain. A 15-man squad for the Tri-Series against Australia and India and the World Cup is due to be announced after the Sri Lanka series. The squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jack Brooks, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, Stephen Parry, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Boyd Rankin, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Tredwell, James Vince, Chris Woakes and Luke Wright. — Agencies
