Troubled Pakistani fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif have been included in their country's 30-man preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy. Both players have recently run foul of the Pakistan Cricket Board with Shoaib banned for 18 months for disciplinary reasons, and Asif the subject of an internal inquiry after being detained in Dubai for 19 days over a drug-related incident. Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed, however, confirmed the pair had been included in their preliminary squad for the September tournament, which is being held in Pakistan. “Obviously their final selection is subject to their 100 percent match fitness and form later on and the board,” he said. Akhtar was banned for five years in April by the PCB for disciplinary reasons, but had the ban reduced to 18 months on appeal in June. Last week a court in Lahore suspended the ban until it made a decision on whether to hear Shoaib's legal challenge of the PCB's actions. It is expected to make a decision in September. Asif, who only recently returned to playing after six months out with an elbow injury, is facing a PCB internal inquiry after he was stopped at Dubai airport for allegedly carrying a small quantity of contraband. Malinga, Maharoof included Sri Lanka's cricket selectors on Thursday included pacemen Lasith Malinga and Farveez Maharoof in a 30-man preliminary squad for the ICC Champions Trophy tournament in September. Malinga (knee) and Maharoof (side strain) were both unfit for the recent Asia Cup tournament, won by their team in Karachi on Sunday. Sri Lanka also picked spin sensation Ajantha Mendis, who grabbed six wickets for 13 runs in the Asia Cup final to guide his side to a 100-run victory over India. The squad: Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chamara Kapugedera, Chamara Silva, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas, Thilan Thushara, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Nuwan Kulasekera, Ajantha Mendis, Jehan Mubarak, Mahela Udawatte, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Malinda Warnapura, Michael Vandort, Upul Tharanga, Thilina Kandamby, Thilan Samaraweera, Prasanna Jayawardene, Farveez Maharoof, Malinga Bandara, Gayan Wijekoon, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Malinga, Chanaka Welagedera, Ishara Amerasinghe, Sujeewa de Silva, Rangana Herath. Tait selected Fast bowler Shaun Tait, who has been battling depression and walked away from cricket in January, has been included in Australia's 30-man preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September. The squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain), George Bailey, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Dan Cullen, Xavier Doherty, Brett Geeves, Ryan Harris, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, James Hopes, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Ashley Noffke, Tim Paine, Luke Ronchi, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Cameron White.
