Pakistan names 9 uncapped players for tests vs South Africa

Pakistan has named nine uncapped players for two-match home test series against South Africa that starts later this month.

New chief selector Mohammad Wasim said Friday that he wanted to reward rookie players like batsman Kamran Ghulam and fast bowler Tabish Khan for ir consistent performances in domestic cricket.

Ghulam topped scoring chart in this season’s premier first-class tournament by scoring 1,249 runs in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

36-year-old Khan made his first-class debut in 2002-03 season and has taken 598 wickets including 30 this season.

Khan is expected to replace fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who has been dropped after a sharp decline in his wicket taking ability that saw him picking only 25 wickets in his last 13 test matches.

“Tabish Khan is more effective and useful in Pakistan conditions,” Wasim said. “Tabish is a workhorse who can bowl long spells with controlled line and length. He is a like-to-like replacement for Mohammad Abbas in given conditions.”

selectors have also dropped opening batsman Shan Masood and middle-order batsman Haris Sohail after Pakistan was routed 2-0 by New Zealand in test series with regular skipper Babar Azam missing entire series due to a fractured thumb.

Azam has recovered and will lead side against South Africa.

Young fast bowler Naseem Shah, opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq and allrounder Shadab Khan were t considered for series because of injuries.

“Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas and Shan Masood have been dropped due to inconsistent performances,” Wasim said. “Shan’s bad form has opened doors for Abid Ali’s new partner, be it eir Abdullah Shafique or Imran Butt, who was last (domestic) season’s top scorer. Toger with Abdullah, he was in New Zealand with Shaheens side.”

Fast bowler Hasan Ali has regained fitness from his back problem and returns two years after last playing a test match against South Africa in 2019. Ali impressed selectors with his stellar performance this season in domestic cricket where he took 43 wickets and also scored 273 runs.

Pakistan Cricket Board said that all 20 players w move into a bio-secure bubble in Karachi, which hosts first test from Jan. 26.

Rawalpindi will host second test from Feb. 4-8, followed by a three-match Twenty20 series in Lahore. squad for Twenty20 series will be named later.

Wasim said squad will be trimmed to 16 players, according to his policy of ‘horses for courses’ close to first test.

Squad:

Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Yasir Shah, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Tabish Khan.