Pakistan have dropped pace bowler Sohail Tanvir and allrounder Shahid Afridi for the first Test against Sri Lanka starting on Saturday. The selectors have called up uncapped youngsters Mohammad Talha and Ahmed Shahzad to the 15-man squad. Chief selector Abdul Qadir told a news conference fast bowler Talha and opener Shahzad had a good chance of playing in the test after performing well at domestic level.
Shahzad scored a hundred against Sri Lanka on Friday in a two-day warm-up match before retiring hurt. Pakistan have also recalled left handed batsman Asim Kamal who last played a test against England in 2005. The selectors also kept faith with Shoaib Malik, who was replaced as captain by Younis Khan last month after a one-day home series loss to Sri Lanka. The second test in the two-test series starts on Sunday March 1 in Lahore.
SQUAD: Younis Khan (Capt), Misbah-ul-Haq, Salman Butt, Khurrum Manzoor, Ahmed Shahzad, Faisal Iqbal, Shoaib Malik, Asim Kamal, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Sohail Khan, Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Yasir Arafat.