Pakistan drop Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali for England Tests, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali get maiden call-ups

Pakistan cricket board (PCB) announced their 18-member squad for the Test series against England. Pakistan dropped Fawad Alam and Hasan Ali from their Test squad.

No Shaheen Afridi in Pakistan squad for Tests vs England (AFP Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan have announced an 18-member squad for next month’s three-Test home series against England. Uncapped mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed and fast bowler Mohammad Ali have been named in the 18-member squad, while leg-spinner Yasir Shah, middle-order batter Fawad Alam, and fast bowler Hasan Ali have been dropped.

England will play a Test series in Pakistan 17 years after last touring the country in 2005. Pakistan has twice hosted England during this period in the United Arab Emirates.

England toured Pakistan before the T20 World Cup in Australia for a seven-match Twenty20 series and went onto beat Pakistan in the T20 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“Mohammad Ali has shown great patience and control, and his numbers speak for his consistency,” chief selector Mohammad Wasim said on Monday.

“Abrar is in outstanding form this season, so it does make sense to make him available to (captain) Babar Azam so he can use the confidence and talent of this youngster in the upcoming series.”

England will be arriving later this week and will kick off the tour with the first Test at Rawalpindi on December 1. Multan will host the second Test from December 9-13 before Karachi hosts the final Test from December 17-21.

Two more uncapped bowlers- fast bowler Mohammad Wasim and leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood – are also part of the squad. Pakistan will be without key fast bowler Shaheen Afridi after the left-arm paceman underwent appendicitis surgery on Sunday.

Afridi needs three to four weeks to recover, after which he will undergo rehabilitation on his right knee. Afridi did represent Pakistan in the T20 World Cup after recovering from a knee injury, but sustained another blow to the same knee while fielding during the final against England.

“We have selected this 18-man squad keeping in mind the form of the players, the conditions, and the opposition,” chief selector Wasim said.

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood.