Pakistan recall Abbas, Naseem for WI Tests

LAHORE: Pakistan on Friday recalled pacers Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah for the two-match Test series against West Indies.

Fast bowler Tabish Khan, who played a sole Test in Zinbabwe, and Salman Ali Agha have been dropped from the 21-man squad. Agha has been included in the ODI squad for the tour of England.

Experienced spinner Yasir Shah has been included in the squad, but his selection remains subject to fitness, with the PCB saying he is yet to recover from the knee injury that sidelined him for the series against Zimbabwe.

Abbas was dropped for the last two Test series Pakistan played, at home against South Africa and in Zimbabwe, but has forced his way back into contention after impressing in the County Championship in England. Shah, meanwhile, was dealing with a back issue that kept him out for much of the last year.

Young and burly Azam Khan, son of former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, has been called up to the T20I squad for the first time. The wicketkeeper-batsman has impressed on occasion for the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, and was one of the explosive batsmen in the National T20 Cup last year. All-rounder Imad Wasim, who last donned international colours in December last year, returned to the T20I squad. The 32-year-old missed Pakistan's T20I series against South Africa at home and away, as well as the series against Zimbabwe, and hasn't played any cricket since the PSL was postponed in early March. Pakistan are due to play three T20Is against England in July, followed by a further five in the West Indies.

The national selectors once again ignored opener Shan Masood, who was one of top Test performers for Pakistan last year but continues to pay the price for a disastrous tour of New Zealand.

Batsman Haris Sohail returned to the 50-over side after missing out in the series against South Africa. The left-hand batter was one of the star performers at the 2019 World Cup for Pakistan, but with the side only playing a handful of ODIs since, has struggled to nail a spot.

"We have remained consistent in our selection and kept the same core of cricketers who have been in the set-up for a while," chief selector Mohammad Wasim said.

"This is an extremely important and critical tour for Pakistan as we will be playing the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League ODIs against England as well as the T20Is against England and the West Indies as part of our preparations for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The Jamaica Test will count towards the ICC World Test Championship.

“As such, keeping in view the above and in consultation with captain Babar Azam and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, we have tried our best to maintain the winning combinations but at the same time recalled four experienced players and rewarded uncapped Azam Khan for his domestic performance," said Wasim.

"Mohammad Abbas has regained his form, Naseem Shah and Haris Sohail have reclaimed the required fitness standards, while Imad Wasim has been recalled considering the T20 World Cup is likely to be held in the UAE and he enjoys an excellent record there. The players who have missed on selection will remain part of our strategy, and, as such, they will continue to work on their technical game at the National High Performance Centre under the watchful eyes of Mohammad Yousuf and Saqlain Mushtaq," he added.

Pakistan leave for Manchester on June 25 to play three ODIs and as many T20Is in England, before flying to Barbados, where they will play the first of five T20Is against West Indies. Those are followed by two Tests at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

Pakistan squads

Tests: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali Azhar Ali , Faheem Ashraf , Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Yasir Shah (subject to fitness), Zahid Mahmood.

ODIs: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), 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 (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir.

T20Is: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Arshad Iqbal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan, Usman Qadir. —with inputs from agencies