KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistani selectors rested some of their key players for next month’s tour of Zimbabwe and included three uncapped players in the touring squad yesterday.
The selectors rested leading pace bowlers Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Tanvir Ahmed and spinner Abdul Rehman for the tour that includes just one Test, three one-day internationals and a T20 match.
Instead the selectors have recalled pace bowlers Sohail Tanvir and Sohail Khan and retained youngsters Junaid Khan and Aizaz Cheema.
Cheema was also picked for the previous tour of the West Indies but dropped after being declared unfit.
“We have decided to give the players who have done well in domestic cricket a chance to play in the national to see how they adjust to the top level,” said chief selector Mohsin Khan.
Khan made clear that no senior player had been dropped but had been rested for the coming tour.
“They will be considered as frontline players for our series against Sri Lanka and England later in the year,” he added.
The selectors picked uncapped batsman Rameez Raja jr and leg spinner Yasir Shah and recalled opener Imran Farhat.
Farhat has not played for Pakistan since the one-day series against South Africa last October in UAE.
Wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal returns to the squad and Mohammad Salman, who went to the West Indies, is dropped.
Pakistan Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Rameez Raja, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Shah, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema.