Pakistan have dropped former skipper and veteran batsman Mohammad Yousuf for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.
Batsman not included in squad for tour of New Zealand
Pakistan have dropped former skipper and veteran batsman Mohammad Yousuf for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.
Yousuf returned home from the recent one-day series against South Africa in Dubai but had seemingly recovered from the injury after playing domestic cricket.
Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria have again been omitted but former captain Younus Khan has been recalled to the 20-over squad.
Younus retired from the shortest form of the game after leading Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title in 2009, but recently stated he was available for selection in all formats.
Chief selector Mohsin Khan says that Kamran and Shoaib Malik, who has shown impressive form in domestic matches, had not been cleared for selection by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Combination
"After the clearance by PCB, the selection committee has selected the best available combination of seniors and youngsters," Khan told
AFP.
"The upcoming tour of New Zealand is extremely important for us as it will help in preparations for the World Cup.
"PCB did not clear the names of Kamran and Malik, while Yousuf was dropped on fitness grounds.
"The New Zealand team will be very difficult to beat on their home ground, but our team has recently shown great qualities of fight-back and we hope it will settle down in the near future."
Pakistan will begin the first of two Tests against the Black Caps on December 26, with three T20s and six one-day internationals to follow. The squad for the one-dayers will be announced at a later date.
Test squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Younus Khan, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz (subject to fitness), Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman.
T20 squad: Shahid Afridi (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shahzad, Younus Khan, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz (subject to fitness).
