Hasan Ali returns as Pak names Test squad for New Zealand series

KARACHI: Pakistan has recalled pace bowler Hasan Ali and named uncapped batsman Kamran Ghulam in its 16-member squad for the two-Test series against New Zealand, beginning here on Monday.

Kamran, who was earlier named in Pakistan’s Test squad but didn’t get a chance to make his debut, replaces veteran Azhar Ali.

Ali retired from Test cricket after playing his final match against England in Karachi earlier this week. The national selectors have also released pace bowler Muhammad Ali and allrounder Faheem Ashraf from the Pakistan squad following its 3-0 whitewash against England on Monday.

Hasan, who last played a Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in July, has appeared in 21 Tests for his country taking 77 wickets.

The selectors also didn’t include fast bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf in the squad as both are still recovering from respective injuries.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah, who missed the Multan and Karachi Tests against England due to a shoulder niggle, has been declared fit and was retained in the squad. The New Zealand squad, which will reach here on Thursday morning, is the third major team to tour Pakistan for a Test series this year after Australia and England.

The announcement of the squad comes amidst strong speculations that an overhaul is going to be carried out on Wednesday in the PCB on the orders of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is the chief patron of the board.

This includes a change in the selection committee and former chairman Najam Sethi replacing Ramiz Raja as the PCB head.

TEST SQUAD: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, and Zahid Mehmood