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Pakistan announce team

KARACHI — Pakistani selectors on Thursday named a 16-member squad comprising youth and experienced players for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe.

Middle order batsman, Misbahul Haq, will lead the squad in all three formats of the game. Utility allrounder Mohammad Hafeez will be his deputy.

One surprise inclusion was the former skipper Shoaib Malik in the list of reserves while allrounder Abdul Razzaq was not considered at all.

Announcing the squad, chief selector Mohsin Hasan Khan told newsmen that under the circumstances the best possible team was selected and some youngsters were included to give them chance to prove themselves for future selection. Former captain, Shahid Afridi, was not considered for the trip as he has announced that he will never play under the present Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), headed by Ijaz Butt.

Making comeback are opener Imran Farhat and medium pacer Sohail Tanveer while pacemen Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul and left arm spinner Abdur Rehman were given rest for the month-long tour. Yasir Shah, Aizaz Cheema and Rameez Raja Junior are newcomers.

Pakistan will play one Test, three one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches in Zimbabwe.

Squad: Misbahul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Rameez Raja Junior, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Shah, Sohail Tanveer, Sohail Khan, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema.