No place for Saeed Ajmal in Test squad; Ahmed Shehzad recalled

Karachi, June 3: Pakistan have recalled opener Ahmed Shehzad to the Test side for the cricket tour of Sri Lanka, a quick comeback for the batsman after being dropped for the series against Bangladesh in April-May on disciplinary grounds.

Besides Shehzad, the selectors also recalled another out of favour opener, the southpaw Shan Masood after he was ignored for the last few series and tournaments.

Chief selector, Haroon Rasheed said that Shehzad had been given a chance since he remained a strong player for Pakistan in Tests and was improving.

"Shehzad, like others, was clear for selection and so we had no issues picking him," he said. Head coach Waqar Younis and captain Misbah-u-Haq had both suggested to the cricket board after the World Cup to drop Shehzad and Umar Akmal and make them play domestic cricket for a year as both of them needed to improve their attitude in general.

Rasheed said the selectors had delayed announcing the squad because of fitness related matters with fast bowlers like Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan and Ehsan Adil.

"Adil was cleared and has been picked but the other two still require more time," the chief selector said.

Off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal was as expected ignored after he failed to impress on his comeback in Bangladesh with a changed changing his bowling action.

The experienced bowler, down on his luck since being suspended for an illegal bowling action last September, was also ignored for the limited over series against Zimbabwe that ended on Sunday.

Rasheed also made it clear that young promising players like left-arm spinner Muhammad Asghar, leg-spinner Osama Mir and all-rounder Bilal Asif would be considered later on for either the one-day or T20 matches in Sri Lanka.

The first Test against Sri Lanka is scheduled from June 17 at Galle. He said if need arose, a 16th player could be sent for the three Tests because of the weather conditions in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan Test squad: Muhammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Azhar Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Ehsan Adil, Imran Khan, Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah.

PTI