Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq announced a 17-member Test squad including fast bowler Muhammad Aamir for the upcoming tour of England in July in a press conference here on Sunday. Squads for five One-day internationals and a Twenty20 will be announced later. The Test team includes three openers, seven middle-order batsmen, five bowlers and two wicket-keepers.
Inzamam said Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, and Sami Aslam were chosen as the three opening batsmen for the tour, while Misbah-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, and Iftikhar Ahmed will play in the middle-order.
Both Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan have been selected as wicket-keepers for the tour, while Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar will constitute the team's spin attack.
Fast bowler Mohammad Aamir has been named in squad, six years after he received a spot-fixing ban against the same opponents. The 24-year-old, who also served a custodial sentence for the offence, is expected to receive his British visa in the next couple of days following a special request for leniency from the Pakistan Cricket Board. Since returning from his suspension last September Aamir has been a regular feature in Pakistan's one-day and Twenty20 sides but has yet to make his return to Tests.
Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said Aamir would receive a visa. "Aamir is expected to get visa in the next couple of days and (Mohammad) Hafeez is also cleared by medical staff so we have included him," Inzamam told a press conference.
Besides Younis, Azhar Ali and Hafeez are the only two who have played previously played Tests in England before. Pakistan will play four Test matches against England on the tour.
Inzamam said the selection was completed after consultation with captain Misbah-ul-Haq and coach Micky Arthur.
The team are likely to leave for the tour on June 18 and hold a training camp in Hampshire before their first match against Somerset starting on July 5 and another against Sussex from July 8.
Opener Hafeez was selected subject to his full recovery from a knee injury sustained two months ago, with selectors deciding to include him after team medics said he would regain fitness in the next few days.
Regular opener Ahmed Shehzad was not selected over disciplinary problems, leaving the opening positions to the inexperienced left-handed pair of Shan Masood, who has played seven Tests, and Sami Aslam, who has played one.
Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez (subject to fitness), Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sarfraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan, Imran Khan.
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