Hafeez dropped from Test squad

News

Cricket365
October 5, 2013

Pakistan have dropped batsman Mohammad Hafeez, ahead of this month's two-Test series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates.

Hafeez has endured a poor stretch of form recently, amounting to a mere 102 runs in his last 10 Test match innings. Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan, meanwhile, has replaced seamer Wahab Riaz.

Uncapped spinner Zulfiqar Babar, too, has been included – while batsmen Asad Shafiq, Faisal Iqbal and Shan Masood and seamer Eshan Adil were excluded. The experienced Umar Gul was not considered due to a knee injury.

The veteran Misbah-ul-Haq has been retained as captain. Misbah has led his country to only one Test victory this year and, last month, endured an embarrassing 24-run defeat to minnows Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club.

Three more players will be added to the squad after a three-day tour fixture between Pakistan A and the Proteas, in Sharjah, starting on 8 October. All-rounder Umar Amin will skipper the A side.

The first Test will get underway at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on 14 October. The Dubai International Cricket Stadium will host the second and final fixture.

<b>Squad:</b> Misbah-ul Haq (captain), Khurram Manzoor, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Umar Amin, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar, Abdur Rehman, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Rahat Ali.