KARACHI: Pakistan Tuesday announced its initial 25-member squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, with fast bowler Wahab Riaz out of favor and key spinner Yasir Shah ruled out with injury.
The probable team members will join a training camp in Lahore from April 18-22 before leaving for the UK a day later to acclimatize ahead of what is expected to be a tough series.
Pakistan will play Ireland in the only Test in Dublin from May 11-15 — Ireland’s first since being granted Test status last year — before playing two Tests against England, starting at Lord’s from May 24 with the second at Leeds from June 1.
Express pace bowler Wahab Riaz, believed to be out of favor with the team management, was left off the list despite taking 40 wickets in the 11 Tests he has played since the Lord’s Test against England in July 2016.
Pakistan also suffered a setback on Monday when leg-spinner Yasir Shah was ruled out of both tours with a hip stress fracture.
Shah has taken 89 wickets in 16 Tests since July 2016, and was instrumental in Pakistan’s 2-2 series draw against England two years ago.
Middle-order batsman Fawad Alam was included in the probable list after showing good form in domestic season, having last played a Test in 2009.
Team (probable): Sarfraz Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Sami Aslam, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Salahuddin, Fawad Alam, Saad Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Asghar, Shadab Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Rahat Ali, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Musa Khan
