Pakistan have named four uncapped players, including the 22-year-old nephew of former captain and current chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, in their Test squad for the team’s upcoming tour of Ireland and England on Sunday.
Left-hander opener Imam-ul-Haq, who has played four-one-day internationals, scored a century on his debut against Sri Lanka last October.
The other new faces in the 16-member squad include batsmen Fakhar Zaman, Saad Ali and Usman Salahuddin. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan will fill in for slow-bowling spearhead Yasir Shah who is out with a hip injury.
“Yasir’s absence is a big loss,” Inzamam was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“If we look at his numbers for the last two years, he has more wickets than any other bowler for Pakistan. He was our strike bowler, all the games we’ve won he played a big part in.
Ireland play their inaugural Test against Pakistan in Malahide from May 11th-15th before they take on England in Tests at Lord’s (May 24th-28th) and Headingley (June 1st-5th).
Pakistan will also play two Twenty20 Internationals against Scotland on June 12th and 13th, both at Edinburgh’s Grange Cricket Club Ground.
PAKISTAN squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Azhar Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Sami Aslam, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Saad Ali, Asad Shafiq, Usman Salahuddin, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Rahat Ali, Faheem Ashraf.
