The Pakistan-Australia series, comprising one T20 and three ODI matches, is scheduled to kick off on October 5 in the United Arab Emirates.

Veteran batsman Younis Khan failed to find a place in the ODI team, announced by chief selector Moin Khan at a press conference in Lahore.

The squads were initially going to be announced yesterday but had to be postponed for a day in view of the disagreement over the veteran batsman's inclusion in the ODI squad.

Younis, 36, was recalled to the side for the August ODI series in Sri Lanka, but as bad luck would have it he had to return home owing to the death of his nephew.

Once the captain of the Pakistan team, Younis has played 254 ODIs but he was sidelined by the selectors since March, 2013 because of his inconsistent performance in the last few games..

“Younis has been dropped as part of a strategy to look forward to the future but the doors are not closed on him,” chief selector Moin Khan told a news conference.

“There is little time left before the World Cup so the selectors have decided to try out and give more exposure to the new and younger players,” he added.

Australia and New Zealand will host the World Cup from Feb. 14-March 29 next year.

Younis, despite having an impressive batting average of 51 in 91 tests, has not been as effective in ODIs, scoring 7017 runs at an average of 31.

STILL HOPING

But the batsman told reporters in Karachi he had not given up hope of playing at the World Cup.

“I will do my best to force my way back into the ODI side. I have no plans to retire from this format as yet,” he added.

The selectors also ignored experienced pacer Umar Gul for the ODI and T20 squads and dropped left arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar.

Khan said that while announcing the two squads the main thrust was on the World Cup “which is why we have focused on youngsters like Saad Nasim.” Nasim, a leg spinner-batsman, is the only uncapped player in the two squads.

“We have also recalled some young players like Umar Amin and Raza Hasan to bolster the squad, but this does not take anything away from the service Younis has given to the Pakistan team,” he added.

Pakistan have also recalled opener Ovais Zia for the T20 match after he last played against England in the same format in early 2012.

Umar Amin, 24, who has played four tests, 14 ODIs and nine T20 matches, is a stylish left hander who last played in a T20 in December 2013. Left arm spinner, Raza Hasan, 22, played seven T20 games in 2012 before being sidelined with a back injury.

The players selected for the teams are:

T20 – 14 members: Shahid Afridi (C), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohd Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Sohaib Maqsood, Owais Zia, Saad Naseem, Raza Hasan, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Bilawal Bhatti, Anwar Ali, Sohail Tanvir,

ODI – 15 members: Misbahul Haq (C), Ahmed Shahzad, Mohd Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Umar Amin, Asaf Shafiq, Sohaib Maqsood, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Raza Hasan, Mohd Irfan, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan,

Moin also announced a 14-member Pakistan A team for a four-day match against Australia. The team will be led by Asad Shafiq.

Another 14-member A-team, led by Sohaib Maqsood, will play a five-ODI series against UAE.