KARACHI: Several youngsters in the Pakistan cricket team will have a golden chance to prove their mettle in the upcoming Test matches and limited over games against England, Ireland and Scotland, former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed Sallu said on Friday.

The men in green will be starting the tour of the three countries with four uncapped players in its 16-member Test squad including Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Saad Ali and Usman Salahuddin.

Besides, for the first time in several years on an overseas tour, Pakistan will be without middle order specialists Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq.

But Sallu expressed confidence and hoped that talentted players like Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail and Babar Azam will deliver on the tour alongwith the newcomers.

He further said that the wet conditions in England, Ireland and Scotland in the first half of the season is difficult for batsmen, but the youngsters are capable of a good show.

As for the bowling, Sallu observed that the pace attack had a lot of veriety in Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Rahat Ali and Faheem Ashraf.

“But the team has only one spinner in Shadab Khan, who is a wrist spinner,” Sallu said. “The Irish and Scottish batsmen are not too comfortable against wrist spinners and I feel Shadab will bowl well against them though the conditions will go against him as it is difficult for a wrist spinner to bowl well with a wet ball,” he said.

Sallu pointed out that the team is in rebuilding process and it may take time to find permanent players for different positions.

Meanwhile, he praised PCB Chairman Najam Sethi for his tremendous services for Pakistan cricket which has seen international cricket coming back to the country after several years.

He added that the parliamentary committee recently also showered praises on Sethi for his fine services to the game in the country.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2018