Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan cricket selectors, headed by former Test captain Inzamamul Haq, on Wednesday included eighteen-year-old Shadab Khan in a 16-member Pakistan Test squad named for a series against West Indies later this month. Shadab broke into the Test squad 10 days after making his Twenty20 international debut. Shadab, who rose to fame in the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in February-March this year, took 10 wickets in Pakistan’s 3-1 T20 series victory against West Indies last week. Misbahul Haq has been named captain, as expected, for the three Tests in West Indies starting from April 21 in Kingston. The second Test begins in Barbados on April 30 and the third in Dominica on May 10.

Openers Ahmad Shahzad and Shan Masood have returned to the side but there was no place for all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who was also overlooked for Pakistan’s last two Test series in New Zealand and Australia. As many as seven players out of the 17 that toured Australia in December-January didn’t find a place this time: Sharjeel Khan, Sohail Khan, Sami Aslam, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Nawaz and Imran Khan. “The Test team has been selected keeping in mind the conditions in West Indies and the recent performances of players during the domestic and international season,” chief selector Inzamam told media. “The team members are a fine blend of experience and youth and I believe that they will do well in the tour,” he added.

Shahzad last played a Test on the tour of Sri Lanka in 2015 and was not part of the national side since the World T20 due to disciplinary issues. He returned to the T20I and ODI sides recently, picked for the ongoing West Indies tour. Masood, on the other hand, last played a Test last July against England. He has been among the runs recently in domestic one-day matches for United Bank Limited in the Departmental One-day Cup and for Islamabad in the Regional One-day Cup. Inzamam defended Kamran’s exclusion. “We gave Kamran chances in the recent Twenty20 in West Indies and he is in the one-day squad but in the presence of the main wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed it was tough to get him in the Test side,” he maintained.

Four other uncapped players included in the squad are Usman Salahuddin, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Asghar. Medium paceman Abbas, 27, won selection thanks to his performance in domestic matches, having taken 61 and 71 wickets in the last two home seasons respectively. Middle-order batsman Salahuddin, 26, was selected for the first time in a Test team after failing in the two one-day internationals on the tour of West Indies in 2011. The pace attack, comprised of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, will be beefed by Abbas and Hasan. The spin attack will consist of Yasir Shah and left-arm spinner Asghar, who toured Australia as back-up for Yasir. Inzamam said Shadab’s inclusion highlights the policy of introducing fresh blood. “Everyone felt that Shadab has performed beyond expectations so we thought he should also be used for the five-day format.”

Pakistan Test squad:

Misbahul Haq (captain), Ahmad Shahzad, Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Younus Khan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper and vice-captain), Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Abbas.