The Pakistan squad for the forthcoming one day series against Sri Lanka is due to be announced and here we take a look at the likely players due to be included.

The anticipation is always immense when a squad of any kind is due to be announced by the Pakistan cricket Board, but the added interest is that this will be the first squad announced by the new regime. Abdul Qadir and company will have their own opinions who they want included and I'm sure we'll see some new faces in the squad.

Regulars like Younis Khan, Misbah ul Haq, Fawad Alam, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Fawad Alam, Sohail Tanvir and of course skipper Shoaib Malik are automatic choices and its a foregone conclusion that they will of course be in the squad. All the aforementioned have shown enough form and fitness to be included by the selectors.

So with 9 places gone, that leaves 7 places up for grabs. Salman Butt has been struggling of late in the domestic circuit but I think his past form at international level will mean that he is included. The other openers that I think will be included will be Khurram Manzoor and Nasir Jamshed who have both been in superb form in the Pentangular trophy and the QEA Trophy.

The enigma Shoaib Akhtar will once again be handed an opportunity at international level despite the usual fitness concerns. In addition to the fast bowling trio of Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir, its an outright battle between Mohammad Talha, Abdur Rauf and Sohail Khan for a spot in the final squad. As for the all round option in addition to Malik and Afridi, I would select Yasir Arafat who has been a consistent performer for a long time and in my opinion deserves a chance.

As for the spinning option, although Kaneria has voiced his opinion that he thinks he should be included in the one day squad I think Saeed Ajmal will be given another opportunity.

My 16 man squad :-

Shoaib Malik, Nasir Jamshed, Khurram Manzoor, Younis Khan, Misbah ul Haq, Salman Butt, Shahid Afrid, Kamran Akmal, Fawad Alam, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Arafat, Mohammad Talha.