Pakistan announces team for South Africa tour

Pakistan has announced a 16-man squad for next month’s three Test away series against South Africa.

The Greenshirts will open the tour with a side game from January 25 before playing three Tests, two Twenty20s and five one-dayers against South Africa on the tour. A separate squad for the limited over matches will be announced later.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) included lanky paceman Mohammad Irfan in a 16-man squad for next month’s three Tests against world number one side South Africa, but there was no place for the three Akmal brothers.

The 30-year-old Irfan, who is said to be seven foot one inch tall, impressed with his steepling bounce during Pakistan’s recent tour to India where he featured in all three one-day matches and two Twenty20 internationals. But he has yet to play a Test.

The Test squad, led by Misbah-ul Haq, will open with a four-day side match at East London from January 25 before the first Test in Johannesburg from February 1.

Surprisingly, none of the three Akmal brothers – Kamran, Umar and Adnan – are part of the Test squad and no selector was available to say why.

Adnan has been a regular in Pakistan’s Test squad as specialist wicket-keeper. Although he was injured during Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka last June he played in the ongoing first class season. He is replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed.

Nineteen-year-old paceman Ehsan Adil was also selected for the first time after impressing during the Junior World Cup in Australia last year. Adil has taken 56 wickets in ten first-class matches this season.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman also returns to the squad after being banned for a failed dope test during the county season in England last year. He will partner the wily off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. The pace squad will be led by the experienced Umar Gul, Junaid Khan and Irfan.

Uncapped left-hander Haris Sohail and Faisal Iqbal also retained their places in the squad after failing to play any match on the Sri Lanka tour while left-handed opener Nasir Jamshed, who has yet to play a Test, also made the cut.

Squad: Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Nasir Jamshed, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Gul, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Haris Sohail, Faisal Iqbal, Taufeeq Umar.

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Posted by Web Desk on Jan 12 2013. Filed under Pakistan, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.