Pakistan recalls fast bowler Mohammad Abbas after 3 years for test matches in South Africa

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan recalled fast bowler Mohammad Abbas after three years for test matches in South Africa while Shaheen Shah Afridi will play only white-ball cricket on the tour.

Abbas has taken 90 wickets in 25 tests but hasn’t played red-ball cricket for Pakistan since the Jamaica test in 2021. He has been in impressive form of late in domestic cricket, picking up 31 wickets in five matches in Pakistan's premier domestic four-day tournament.

“Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exclusion from the test squad is a strategic decision to ensure he remains physically and mentally fresh for the Champions Trophy,” selection committee member Aaqib Javed said in a statement Wednesday.

Naseem Shah, who missed the last two home test matches against England, Khurram Shahzad and left-armer Mir Hamza are the pace bowlers named to the test squad.

Pakistan begins its tour of South Africa next Tuesday with the first of three three T20s, followed by three ODIs and two test matches at Centurion and Cape Town.

“We have adopted a horses-for-courses policy to ensure all three squads are well-balanced and capable of performing strongly in South Africa,” Javed said.

“Our focus in ODIs is to continue building momentum ahead of the Champions Trophy, while the T20 series provides a platform to blend experience with emerging talent.”

Off-spinner Sajid Khan missed out on the test squad despite claiming 19 wickets in the last two test matches against England at Multan and Rawalpindi. Noman Ali, who picked up 20 wickets in those two memorable victories for Pakistan, was favored by the selectors.

“Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough and difficult decision,” Javed said. “However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling.”

Former all-formats captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha were named to all three squads.

The selectors have retained youngster Sufiyan Muqeem for the T20s and ODIs after the left-arm wrist spinner claimed eight wickets in two T20s against Zimbabwe. Sufiyan also recorded Pakistan’s best-ever T20 figures of five wickets for three runs on Tuesday when his team routed Zimbabwe for 57 at Bulawayo.

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Squads:

Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha.

ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.

T20s: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.

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The Associated Press