Bazid, Misbah and Iftikhar back in squad

Azhar Mahmood and Imran Farhat have been left out of Pakistan's 15-man squad for the three-nation Paktel Cup, which starts on September 30. Bazid Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq, both middle-order batsmen, and Iftikhar Anjum, a right-arm seamer, have been included in the line-up.

Farhat played two matches in the Champions Trophy. He scored an unbeaten 38 against Kenya, but was then dropped from the semi-finals team after making a fourth-ball duck against India. Salman Butt, his replacement, lasted only two balls in that match, but has managed to retain his place in the squad. Mahmood was a late inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad but didn't play a single match. Shabbir Ahmed, who withdrew from the Champions Trophy due to injury, has also been omitted.

Bazid, Misbah and Iftikhar have all been rewarded for some fine performances with the A team on the recent tour to Kenya. Pakistan start the tournament with a match against Zimbabwe at Multan on September 30.

Pakistan squad
1 Yasir Hameed, 2 Salman Butt, 3 Shoaib Malik, 4 Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Yousuf Youhana, 6 Younis Khan, 7 Misbah-ul-Haq, 8 Bazid Khan, 9 Abdul Razzaq, 10 Moin Khan (wk), 11 Shahid Afridi, 12 Naved-ul-Hasan, 13 Shoaib Akhtar, 14 Mohammad Sami, 15 Iftikhar Anjum.