LAHORE: Pakistan cricket selectors, headed by former Test captain Inzamamul Haq, on Saturday included uncapped teenage pace sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi and batsman Saad Ali in a 15-man squad named for the first two of the three Tests against New Zealand starting in Abu Dhabi next week. Despite scoring 160 runs in his debut Test match against Australia last month, opener Fakhar Zaman has been left out of Pakistan’s outfit. A PCB spokesman said yesterday that Zaman and leg-spinner Shadab Khan were given rest. The selectors have ignored fast bowler Mohammad Amir once again. Saad has been rewarded for his 144 for Pakistan A against a New Zealand A attack that included internationals Neil Wagner and Scott Kuggeleijn. 18-year-old Afridi has been in a devastating form in the ongoing one-day series in United Arab Emirates, taking 4-46 and 4-38 in the two matches so far. The third and final one-day international is in Dubai on Sunday. He also took 3-20 in a Twenty20 match against New Zealand and four wickets in two Twenty20 internationals against Australia last month, also in UAE. The sensational pace bowler emerged on the scene last year, taking 8-39 in an innings in his first class debut, the best-ever figures by a Pakistani bowler in his first match. Opener Imamul Haq has been included in the squad, indicating that his retiring hurt on Friday was more precautionary than anything else. Fakhar’s absence will allow Mohammad Hafeez to consolidate his position at the top. Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, and Mir Hamza are the frontline quicks in the squad. Chief selector Inzamam said he had chosen Afridi with his current form in mind, while Saad was rewarded for his consistent domestic performances. The first Test will take place from 16 November in Abu Dhabi, with the second in Dubai from 24 November. The teams will move to Abu Dhabi, again, for the third Test, which starts on December 3. With the conditions in the UAE predictably conducive to spin, seam-bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf, who has been selected again, might not get a game. Pakistan had preferred to go with four bowlers and an extra batsman in Haris Sohail in the series against Australia, with his form and ability to pitch in with left-arm spin counting in his favour. With Mohammad Abbas’s series-defining performances against Australia ensuring he’s an automatic starter, the remaining fast bowlers are competing for, at most, two other places. Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Saad Ali, Yasir Shah, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, Hassan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza. Published in Daily Times, November 11th 2018.