Pakistan’s star batsman Mohammad Yousuf on Tuesday vowed to silence his critics with a forceful showing in the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

Yousuf, under fire for his below-par showing in the recent One-day series against Sri Lanka, said that he is looking to give his best in the elite tournament starting on September 22.

Some critics have questioned the selection of Yousuf in the Champions Trophy squad, saying that the seasoned batsman is a poor fielder in limited-overs cricket. Those experts have been calling for Yousuf to limit his international career to Test cricket.

The 34-year-old player, however, said his critics should be aware of the fact that he has been suffering from a shoulder problem for the last few years, adding that the injury has affected his performance as a fielder.

“I always field inside the circle these days because of the shoulder problem. But I’m hoping to get better,” he said.

Yousuf said that he is currently training hard for the Champions Trophy in spite of the holy month of Ramadan. “I do my physical training and also some batting, fielding and running practice,” he said. Yousuf, who has piled up 9292 runs from 272 one-day internationals, has the complete backing of his captain Younis Khan.

Last week, skipper Younis Khan in spite of Yousuf’s below-par showing in the recently-concluded One-day series in Sri Lanka, saying that his top batsman will take his time to adjust to the demands of international cricket.

Younis said that Yousuf has returned after a gap of over a year, and that there is a big difference between playing the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and international cricket.

“He (Yousuf) was out of international cricket for more than a year and will take time to make adjustments,” said Younis. “He played in the ICL during that period but let me tell you that there is a world of a difference in the standard of that league and international cricket. I’m sure in time Yousuf will be giving his best for Pakistan once again.”

Captain Ricky Ponting, vice captain Michael Clarke and six other members of the Australia team at risk of losing the Ashes were named on Saturday in the country’s 15-man Champions Trophy limited-overs squad.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, Michael Hussey, all-rounder Shane Watson and bowlers Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle were also included in the squad for the Champions Trophy in South Africa from September 22-Oct. 5.

Australia, as defending champions, will play its first match in Group A against West Indies on September 26. It plays India on September 28 and Pakistan on September 30 to complete the first round.

The one-day event will be Australia’s next assignment after the current tour of England. In the deciding test, Australia trails by 172 runs on first innings, with England to resume its second innings Saturday at 58-3.

AUSTRALIA SQUAD: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain), Nathan Bracken, Callum Ferguson, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Hopes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Peter Siddle, Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

Flamboyant allrounder Shahid Afridi was rewarded for his recent match-winning performances by being named the vice-captain of the Pakistan team for next month’s Champions Trophy.

Afridi has replaced senior batsman Misbah-ul-Haq as Younis Khan’s deputy.

“Basically Misbah has been sent out a clear message that if he does not perform in the Champions Trophy he will be shown the door from the team,” an official in the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Friday.

“In Sri Lanka when Misbah was struggling for runs, Younis had made it clear that it was difficult to drop him since he was the vice-captain and part of the tour selection committee,” the official said.

He said Afridi had captained the side well in the lone Twenty20 match in Sri Lanka and this was also a reason he was appointed vice-captain for the Champions Trophy.

Afridi has already made it clear that if the board offered him captaincy on a long-term basis, he would be interested in taking up the responsibility.

Dope tainted pacer Mohammad Asif was recalled while all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, who quit the ICL to play for the country, was left out as Pakistan announced its 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

Asif, who was suspended for testing positive in the Indian Premier League last year, will complete a 12-month ban on September 22, the day the tournament begins in South Africa.

He was even banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board in July, 2008 for the same offence and also for his 19-day ordeal in Dubai in June last year.

Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim said Asif, who last played an ODI in April 2008 against Bangladesh, was drafted into the team after careful assessing his form and fitness.

“Asif has been picked after a careful assessment of his match fitness and form by the selectors and also by former captain Rashid Latif, who supervised his training in the emerging players camp here,” Qasim said.

Qasim said Asif was considered for the team as the Champions Trophy does not start until September 22 and there is ample time for him to train hard and recover his fitness.

“The report we have got is he will be 100 per cent match fit and is bowling well.”

Qasim said the selectors had tried to pick a balanced squad for the eight-nation tournament and were forced to drop Razzaq.

“We would have liked to have him in the team but unfortunately we can only pick 15 players and he has struggled for fitness in Sri Lanka,” the former Test spinner said.

Senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf, however, has retained his place in the team.

The selectors also debated on the inclusion of experienced opener Salman Butt but the chief selector said it was decided to go with just one opener Imran Nazir since Pakistan had the option of makeshift openers in Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi and even Fawad Alam and Shoaib Malik.

The squad: Younus Khan (Capt), Imran Nazir, Misbah-ul-Haq, Muhammad Yousuf, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Rana Naved, Kamran Akmal, Rao Iftkhar, Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul.

Reserve players: Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Talha, Wahab Riaz, Shaharyar Ghani, Khalid Latif.

Controversial pacer Mohammad Asif on Thursday cleared a tough fitness test to more or less secure his place in Pakistan’s 15-member Champions Trophy squad.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif, who supervised the rehabilitation of Asif in the emerging players camp here, confirmed that the fast bowler had cleared the ‘Bleep’ test, a multi-stage fitness test.

“The Bleep test is the toughest fitness test and Asif secured points which were more than the minimum required by any player to clear it,” Latif said.

Asif, 26, has been training at the emerging players camp since last week on the instructions of the national selectors, who wanted have a fair idea about his match fitness before picking the Champions Trophy squad.

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim-led Pakistan selection panel will meet tomorrow to announce the Champions Trophy squad after holding preliminary discussions with national team coach Intikhab Alam in Lahore o Thursday.

All the indications are there that the selectors will take pick Asif, who has not played any competitive cricket since July last year due to disciplinary and doping issues.

Meanwhile, a relatively fit and leaner Asif said he had benefited immensely from the training camp.

The selectors will take a final call on Asif after reviewing the Latif’s report on the latest fitness position of the right-arm pacer.

South Africa left out tall fast bowler Morne Morkel Thursday when they announced a 15-man squad for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy to be played in South Africa.

Morkel, regarded as a match-winner when he burst on the national scene in 2006-07, paid the price for inconsistent performances last season.

While Morkel missed out, left-arm fast bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe returned to the national team for the first time since undergoing a cartilage operation on his right knee in March. Tsotsobe took four for 50 in his only One-Day International against Australia in Perth in January.

Tsotsobe, 25, joined Wayne Parnell, 20, as one of two promising left-arm pace bowlers in the squad. Parnell was one of the outstanding performers in the World Twenty20 in England in June.

Left-arm spin bowler Robin Peterson also gained a recall.

“There were some difficult choices to make,” said selection convener Mike Procter.

“At the moment South African cricket is blessed with an abundance of fast bowling talent with the emergence of Tsotsobe and Parnell as outstanding new prospects and Charl Langeveldt becoming available again.

“Langeveldt is not fit enough yet to be considered after his shoulder surgery and Morne Morkel is the unlucky one to miss out. He is very much part of our long-term planning and has a major role to play but we would like to see more consistency from him at this stage,” said Procter.

Procter said one of the strengths of the team was that there were numerous options, with four spin bowlers, two all-rounders in Jacques Kallis and Albie Morkel as well as a strong pace attack.

“There is also batting potential most of the way down the order.”

The Champions Trophy will be played at two venues, Centurion and Johannesburg, from September 22 to October 5.

South African squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Johan Botha (vice-capt), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Albie Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Roelof van der Merwe.

Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif has said that the training session at the national camp has done wonders to his mental and physical fitness and he is now fully prepared to take on new challenges at the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa.

“I will continue to train at the camp here till August 29 and then at the conditioning camp for the national team before leaving for South Africa. I am confident that I will touch my peak fitness by the time the tournament starts. I am satisfied with my bowling and generating pace with sideways movement of the ball,” Asif said.

“The training by Rashid is hard and there is no let-up. This schedule is very beneficial for someone like me who is getting back into the game after a year.

“It is a new beginning for me and my career. I am ready to take on the new opportunities offered to me,” said Asif, who has played 11 Tests and 31 One-Day Internationals so far.

“I enjoyed bowling in South Africa on the Test tour in 2007 and again in the T20 World Cup,” he added.

The 26-year-old Asif was watched closely by chief selector Iqbal Qasim and fellow selector Saleem Jaffer on Wednesday at the national stadium.

“He is bowling well but we are more concerned about his fitness. The feedback we get from Rashid Latif is important for us,” Qasim said.

Qasim will sit down with the national team coach Intikhab Alam in Lahore tomorrow to finalise the 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy, which is to be announced on Friday.

All the indications are there that the selectors will take a gamble with Asif who has not played any competitive cricket since July 2008 due to disciplinary and doping issues.

Qasim also added that the selectors are happy with the recovery of Umar Gul from his back problem.

India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik will unveil the ICC Champions Trophy at a formal function in Mumbai on Thursday. 

The unveiling would be done at the Reliance Centre in Ballard Estate, South Mumbai in the presence of Campbell Jamieson, General Manager (Commercial) of the International Cricket Council.

The Champions Trophy, carrying a prize pool of $4 million, is to be held from September 22 to October 5 in South Africa – at Centurion and Johannesburg.

Apart from India, hosts, South Africa, holders Australia, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, West Indies and New Zealand are to contest for the top prize of $2 million.

The runners-up would get $1 million and the two losing semi-finalists $400,000 each. Teams finishing third in their respective groups would take home $100,000.

The 2009 ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa will offer $4 million in total prizemoney, an almost four-fold increase from the previous two tournaments.

A total of $1.15 million was offered in the last two editions played in 2004 and 2006, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement on Monday.

The premier One-day event, second in importance only to the World Cup, was moved to South Africa after security concerns forced the 2008 edition to be shifted out of Pakistan and postponed.

Holders Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies will feature in the Sept. 22 to Oct. 5 event to be staged at the Wanderers in Johannesburg and Centurion Park.

The ICC Champions Trophy tournament has been advanced by two days and will now be played from September 22 to October 5 in South Africa this year.

The ICC advanced the dates on the recommendations of some member countries who wanted a proper break for their players between matches.

The ICC board has also decided that the tournament would be restricted to two venues, the Wanders in Johannesburg and Centurion in Pretoria which are technically considered twin cities.

“They will not be much travelling for the teams as both venues are not far from each other,” a source in the Pakistan board said.

The Champions Trophy was originally scheduled to be held from September 24 to October 5.

“Now the 15 matches in the tournament would be held in 14 days at the two venues,” the source said.

The eight-nation tournament has been delayed by a year after it was shifted from Pakistan due to security concerns by the ICC.

Pakistan was supposed to host the event in September and October last year but due to security situation issues the ICC was forced to first delay it and then move it to South Africa.