Cricket: Younus named in provisional squad for Australia tests

KARACHI: Selectors have named experienced opener Taufeeq Umar and senior batsman Younus Khan in a 19-member squad for the two-test series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates, starting next week.

"This squad will be trimmed down to 15 members after the four-day side match against Australia in Sharjah from October 15 to 18," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.

The board also included Mohammad Hafeez in the provisional squad, with his selection subject to a fitness test. Hafeez had injured his left hand in a practice match before the recent one-day series against Australia in the UAE and had to return home for rehabilitation.

Former captain Younus had criticised the selectors for not considering him for the one-day series against Australia.

The 36-year-old said the selectors had disrespected him and he was ready to also step down from the test squad if they wanted to build a new team but escaped punishment from the board for his comments.

Also back in the squad was leg spinner Yasir Shah, who played an ODI and two Twenty20 matches against Zimbabwe in 2011.

The selectors also named uncapped pace bowler Ataullah, whose bowling action was reported by match officials during the recent national T20 championship in Karachi.

The first test in Dubai will start on October 22.

Squad: Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Shaan Masood, Sami Aslam, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younus Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Harris Sohail, Muhammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil, Ataullah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah, Reza Hasan.