New faces in Pakistan Test squad

The uncapped Yasir Shah and Imran Khan have been named in Pakistan’s squad for a key Test series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates later this year.

Leg-spinner Shah and seamer Imran have enjoyed fine stretches of form at domestic level recently, securing berths in a 16-man collective sans the services of the banned Saeed Ajmal and injured Junaid Khan.

Opening batsman Taufeeq Umar, who has not played Test match cricket in more than two years, has been recalled – and all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has returned after recovering from a hand injury.

The touring party will also be without wicketkeeper-batsman Umar Akmal, spinner Abdur Rehman, left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz and batsman Khurram Manzoor. Spinner Zulfiqar Babar, batsman Haris Sohail and the promising Ehsan Adil, however, have been included.

The Pakistanis and Australians will meet for two Tests – at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi – between 22 October and 3 November.

Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Ehsan Adil, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shan Masood, Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan, Zulfiqar Babar.