All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has been inducted into the One Day International (ODI) team, set to face Australia on Jan 13, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official told DawnNews Saturday.
"The PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan has approved the decision to induct Hafeez as the 16th member of the squad," said a PCB spokesperson.
The PCB's Selection Committee headed by Inzamam-ul-Haq decided on his selection after receiving a request from the team management, including Coach Mickey Arthur and Captain Azhar Ali for sending Mohammad Hafeez to Australia for the ODI series, said the official.
"The management was seeking an all-rounder and asked the selection committee to send Hafeez to join them."
Hafeez will join the team shortly. The Pakistani team is already in Australia where the green shirts faced a whitewash in Test series. The ODI series is scheduled to begin on Jan 13.
The all-rounder had left his England tour in the middle and had returned home due to an injury. He was also dropped out of a Test series against West Indies and another against New Zealand due to the same reason.
Hafeez was banned after his bowling action had been declared illegal. He was allowed to play international cricket after the International Cricket Council cleared him following a test of his bowling action on Nov 17, 2016.
The selection committee had not included Pakistani batsmen Kamran Akmal and Ahmed Shahzad in the 15-member squad for ODI series against Australia despite their outstanding performance in National One Day Cup.
Pakistan and Australia will play the first ODI match on Jan 13 at Brisbane, second on Jan 15 at Melbourne, third on Jan 19 at Perth, fourth on Jan 22 at Sydney and the last on Jan 26 at Adelaide.
