LAHORE: Pakistan on Wednesday selected leg-spin sensation Shadab Khan in its Test squad for the West Indies series.

Uncapped middle-order batsman Usman Salahuddin, fast bowler Mohammad Abbas and slow left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar have also found their places in the 16-man squad.

The first Test of the three-match series will begin on April 21.

Those who were part of Pakistan’s Test squad in Australia but have been dropped this time are: Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Sami Aslam, M. Nawaz, M. Rizwan and Sharjeel Khan.

“The Test team has been selected keeping in mind the conditions in the West Indies and the recent performances of players during the domestic and international season,” chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said in a statement on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old Shadab rose to fame in the second edition of the Pakistan Super League and later justified his selection in the Pakistan T20 squad when he was named Player-of-the-Series for taking 10 wickets in four matches against the West Indies. He is being considered Pakistan’s main weapon in the Test series.

Inzamam said Shadab had performed better than predicted.

“Everyone felt that Shadab has performed beyond expectations so we thought he should also be used for the five-day format,” he said.

Openers Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood have staged comebacks after long layoffs for different reasons.

Shehzad, Shan recalled

Shehzad, who has played 11 Tests and scored 861 runs at an average of 43.05, last played a Test against Sri Lanka in July 2015.

He was dropped from all the three squads as head coach Waqar Younis considered him undisciplined. The right-handed batsman is now part of Pakistan’s all three squads. He took part in the T20 series against the West Indies and will be playing in the ODI series, starting on Friday.

Shehzad did not impress with his batting in the T20 series as he scored only 84 runs in four matches.

Shan’s performance had never been good enough which could have earned him a place in the squad. He has played nine Tests in three years, scoring 432 runs at an average of 24.00.

The third opener is Azhar Ali, who was Pakistan’s top scorer in the last series against Australia with 406 runs, including a double century.

Misbah-ul-Haq, who is Pakistan’s most successful Test captain, will lead the team. About Misbah’s future, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan told reporters at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday, “Though we have not discussed this with Misbah, there is some understanding between us that this is going to be his last series.”

Misbah has not announced anything about it yet that the West Indies series will be his last. He is looking to complete 5,000 Test runs as he is only short of 49.

Another prolific batsman Younis Khan needs just 23 to reach the milestone of 10,000 Test runs.

Meanwhile, Usman, 26, has returned to the side after playing only two ODIs against the West Indies some six years back.

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah will be there to strengthen the spin bowling department comprising two other spinners—Shadab and Asghar.

Paceman Mohammad Abbas, 27, a good prospect for Pakistan is selected on his first-class matches performance. He has taken 244 wickets in 57 matches.

Other pacers included in the squad are Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Hassan Ali.

In the middle-order, Pakistan have Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, and Usman other than Misbah and Younis.

Mohammad Hafeez, who is part of Pakistan’s T20 and ODI squads on the Caribbean tour, is not considered for the Test series.

“The squad is a fine blend of experience and youth and [we] believe it will do well on the tour,” Inzy said.

Kamran Akmal who is included in both T20 and ODI squads on the WI tour is not selected in the Test squad. He scored 90 runs in the four T20 matches against the WI.

Inzamam defended Kamran’s exclusion.

“We gave Kamran chances in the recent Twenty20 and he is in the one-day squad but in the presence of the main wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed it was tough to get him in the Test side,” he said.

Sarfraz, who is appointed vice-captain of the Test squad, is the only wicket-keeper in the squad. He is already the captain of Pakistan’s T20 and ODI squads and is likely to be named the captain of the Test squad after Misbah’s retirement.

Squad:

Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper, vice-captain), Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Hassan Ali and Mohammad Abbas.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2017