KARACHI: Pakistan included three uncapped players on Saturday in their squad for the two-Test series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates.
Batsman, Haris Sohail, pace bowler Imran Khan and leg spinner Yasir Shah were named in a squad trimmed down to 16.
The 27-year-old paceman Khan, a prolific wicket taker at domestic level, left-arm paceman Rahat Ali, Mohammad Talha and Ehsan Adil, all of whom have played Tests before, are the fast bowlers in the squad in the absence of frontline bowlers Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz who are nursing knee injuries.
Sohail, a left-hander, scored a century in the four-day tour match against Australia in Sharjah which concluded in a surprising victory for Pakistan A on Saturday.
Shah played one-day internationals against Zimbabwe in 2011.
Veteran opener Taufeeq Umar was recalled to the squad and Mohammad Hafeez has recovered from a hand injury.
The 33-year-old Umar, who played the last of his 43 Tests in Sri Lanka two years ago, is one of the four openers in the squad with fit-again Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad likely to get into the final eleven
“The side is a nice blend of experience and youth and it has been selected keeping in mind the World Cup 2015,” chief selector Moin Khan said in a statement.
Pakistan have not defeated Australia in a Test match since 1995 and not won a test series against them since 1994.
The first Test begins on Oct. 22 in Dubai.
Pakistan squad: Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Taufeeq Umar, Younus Khan, Shan Masood, Haris Sohail, Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Ehsan Adil, Muhammad Talha, Imran Khan, Rahat Ali, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar.
