By: ChandrashekarBhat
PAKISTAN have recalled fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Mohammad Abbas on Friday (4) for their two-Test series in the West Indies in August, and have also picked spinner Yasir Shah who is yet to recover fully from a knee injury.
Both the quicks were dropped after the team’s 2-0 drubbing in New Zealand this year and missed the subsequent home series against South Africa and the Zimbabwe tour.
Legspinner Shah’s selection was subject to the 35-year-old clearing a fitness test, chief selector Mohammad Wasim said in a statement.
“He was sidelined due to a knee injury after the second Test against South Africa earlier this year and was expected to reclaim complete fitness for the West Indies tour,” Wasim said.
“It, however, has not been the case, but we remain hopeful that he will complete his rehabilitation before the departure.”
Pakistan also announced its limited-overs squads which will play three one-dayers and an equal number of Twenty20 matches in England next month before heading to the West Indies.
Uncapped batsman Azam Khan is the new face in their 20-overs squad.
Babar Azam’s men will play five Twenty20 Internationals in the West Indies before the Test matches at the Sabina Park in Jamaica.
Pakistan squads:
ODI: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Usman Qadir
T20: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Arshad Iqbal, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Sharjeel Khan and Usman Qadir
Test: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Yasir Shah (subject to fitness) and Zahid Mahmood.
