Uncapped Shaeen Afridi, Saad Ali named in Pakistan Test squad

Shaheen Shah Afridi has earned a maiden Test call for the three-match Test series against New Zealand that begins next week. With him, Saad Ali is also included in the 15-member squad for the first two Tests. Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan are rested - to recover fully from their respective knee and groin niggles - and might rejoin the squad for the third match.

According to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement that quoted chief selector Inzamam ul Haq, the decision to include Afridi was taken on the basis of his current form. Afridi has been on a roll in the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand bagging wickets at a phenomenal average of 10.5 runs. In the two contests at Abu Dhabi so far, the 18-year-old has picked up eight wickets. He made his ODI debut for Pakistan in the Asia Cup in September and since then he has taken the most wickets (12) amongst the Pakistani bowlers with the best bowling average and strike rate of 17.6 and 21.5 respectively.

He made headlines last year when he bagged the best figures for a debutant in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. He picked up 8 for 39 for Khan Research Laboratory against Rawalpindi in 15 overs.

Saad was rewarded for his brilliant 144 in the last of the two four-day matches against New Zealand 'A'. This is the second time the left-handed batsman has been called up to the Test squad this year. He was a part of the Pakistan squad that toured the United Kingdom for a solitary match against Ireland followed by a two-match series against England. The 25-year-old was the highest run scorer in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy last year as he plundered 957 runs at an average of 68.35 with three centuries and three half-centuries.

Despite a prolific Test debut, Zaman, along with Shadab, was not included in the Test squad. Though Shadab did not feature in Pakistan's recent Test series, Zaman played a crucial role with his 94 and 66 to stage a win over Australia in the Abu Dhabi Test, the last of the two-match series. A PCB spokesperson told Cricbuzz that the two have been given respective plans on which they will be working at the National Cricket Academy for two weeks, before adding that they might rejoin the squad for the third Test.

"The team has been selected keeping in mind the conditions of the UAE," the statement said as it quoted Inzamam. "Shahdab and Zaman have been rested from the Test matches and have also been advised to undergo training at the NCA. Afridi has been included in the squad keeping his current form. Saad included in the side after performing in domestic cricket and recent Pakistan 'A' series in the UAE."

During their last tour of the UAE in 2014, New Zealand managed a series draw against a formidable Pakistan side that remained undefeated under Misbah ul Haq at their adopted home. They are one of the four sides - South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies being the others - to have managed a Test win over Pakistan ever since the UAE became their adopted home.

The first Test gets underway from November 16 in Abu Dhabi followed by the second Test in Dubai from November 24. The teams return to Abu Dhabi for the third Test which starts on December 3.

Pakistan squad for the first two Tests: Mohammad Hafeez, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Saad Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed (c & wk), Yasir Shah, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Mir Hamza