KARACHI: Pakistan cricket’s newly-appointed selection committee named 36 players for its upcoming training camp, springing a few surprises by calling up several tried and tested players.

Chief selector Moin Khan, while announcing the names of players being called up for the camp that starts in Lahore from May 6, said the list was extensive keeping in “mind short-term and long-term goals.”

“We have drawn up this extensive list with short-term and long term goals in mind and a special focus on next year's World Cup,” Khan said while talking to reporters.

“The main objective of this camp is to assess the fitness of the players for the tour of Sri Lanka. Since there will be absolutely no cricket until that series in August, we have decided to give maximum number of players a chance to demonstrate their fitness. Some names missing from list will most likely be included in the second phase of the camp,” he added.

Mohammad Sami whose last game came in 2012 and Yasir Hameed who last played for Pakistan in 2010 and Mohammad Sami, Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar are players who will part of the national set up after a gap.

When asked why Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq were excluded from training camp, Khan said “fitness and form” remained a concern for these players.

According to the chief selector, however, these players could make a comeback provided they remained fit and performed on the domestic circuit.

Pakistan have no assignment before their series against Australia in October when they play two Tests, three one-days and one Twenty20 in the United Arab Emirates before hosting New Zealand shortly after. The Sri Lanka series has been tentatively scheduled for August but no fixed dates have been announced so far. That gives players like Mohammad Irfan, who suffered a hairline fracture of the hip, enough time to recuperate and Khan says the tall fast bowler has only been called up for the camp after thorough consultations with doctors.

The selection committee also left the door open for Younis Khan’s comeback to the ODI squad.

“Younis is out of ODI team for 6-8 months. Let see how he goes,” Khan said in reply to a question regarding the veteran batsman’s chances of playing in the 2015 World Cup being jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

(Opening batsmen) Ahmed Shahzad, Nasir Jamshed, Sharjeel Khan, Taufeeq Umar, Shan Masood, Imran Farhat , Yasir Hameed, Khurram Manzoor

(Middle order batsmen) Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Azhar Ali, Faisal Iqbal, Sohaib Maqsood, Haris Sohail, Fawad Alam

(All rounders) Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali and Bilawal Bhatti.

(Spinners) Abdul Rehman, Zulfiqar Babar, Raza Hassan, Atif Maqbool and Yasir Shah.

(Fast bowlers), Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Ehsan Adil, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Sami

(Wicket keepers) Sarfraz Ahmed, Adnan Akmal.