Left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir, on Friday, was dropped from Pakistan’s 17-member squad that would compete against Australia in the two-match Test series that is scheduled to get underway next month at the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Amir, who made his international comeback after having served a five-year ban for match-fixing, struggled to find his rhythm in the Asia Cup where he could not take a single wicket and was eventually made to sit out of two matches.
Pakistan would thus rely heavily on the services of leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who played a crucial role in their 2-0 series win over the Aussies in 2014 in the UAE. Shah had taken a total of 12 wickets in the series.
Shah would be joined by the 19-year Shadab Khan and 33-year old Bilal Asif in the spin department. Asif is yet to play a Test match while Shabash has already played four, where he has eight wickets to his name.
Wahab Riaz would get an opportunity of playing his first Test match after October last year after he was named in the squad which also had a young left-arm speedster Mir Hamza.
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Chief selector Inzamam-Ul Haq said that the squad was chosen keeping in mind the conditions in the UAE.
“The team has been selected keeping in mind the conditions of the UAE. Amir has been dropped on lack of form and Wahab Riaz and Mir Hamza comes in the side.
“We have three spinners Yasir, Shadab and Asif who are in the squad keeping in view the UAE wickets,” he said, as quoted by Deccan Chronicle.
The first Test would begin on October 7 while the second is scheduled to start on October 16. Both the teams will also compete in a three-match T20 International series and the squads for the same haven’t been named yet.