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Sami recalled for final Test

Inzamam-ul-Haq lauded the efforts of Mohammad Yousuf in drawing the second Test in Multan and said the confidence drawn from saving the match will help as they prepare for the final Test



Despite a disappointing series in England and being dropped for the Champions Trophy, Mohammad Sami has now been included in the squad for the final Test © Getty Images
Inzamam-ul-Haq lauded the efforts of Mohammad Yousuf in drawing the second Test in Multan and said the confidence drawn from saving the match would serve them in good stead as they prepare for the final Test at Karachi. As Pakistan aim to seal the series there, they have also announced a recall for Mohammad Sami to the squad.
Pakistan were behind in this Test from the second morning, where a collapse of six wickets for 94 runs allowed West Indies to eventually amass a 234-run lead. Yousuf's seventh century of a fabulous year, his third in the 190s, saw Pakistan through on a nervy final day.
"Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq played very well because it was a pressure situation for the most part of today. Saving this Test, from such a big deficit, will boost our morale and serve us well for the Karachi Test," Inzamam told reporters in his hometown.
Though he refused to be drawn into comparing Brian Lara's double-century with Yousuf's 191, he said both were innings of a special and rare nature. "Comparing the two is not right as both were high-class innings. Yousuf played all of it under pressure but Lara's innings was special as he needed to score quick runs for his side as well. There are few innings of this kind seen in cricket so both were special."
Inzamam's own recent batting form hasn't been as special, a far cry from his feats of 2005, and he is without a fifty in five Tests. In ten Tests this year, he has only two fifties and a hundred and he looked troubled during his brief innings of 10 today. "I am trying hard and spending time in the nets. I really want to play a big innings in Karachi and hopefully I can," he said.
The squad for the Karachi Test was announced after the end of play and only one change has been made. Abdul Rehman, the left-arm spinner who toured Sri Lanka and Abu Dhabi with the Pakistan squad earlier this year without playing, has been dropped and in his place returns Mohammad Sami.
Sami was axed from the Pakistan side earlier this summer, missing the tour to Sri Lanka. He was recalled for the summer series with England as Pakistan struggled with injuries to several frontline pacemen but after three largely disappointing Tests, where he took eight wickets at nearly 60, was dropped again. He didn't make the team for the Champions Trophy either but with the futures of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif uncertain and Pakistan short of experience, Sami has a chance to resurrect his floundering career in his home city and add to his 28 Tests.
Pakistan squad for final Test: Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq (Captain), Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Nazir, Umar Gul, Samiullah Niazi, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Sami

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo