Sajid Khan among three players added to Pakistan squad for New Zealand Tests

Pakistan have strengthened their bowling resources by adding fast bowlers Shahnawaz Dahani and Mir Hamza and offspinner Sajid Khan to their squad for the two-match Test series at home against New Zealand.

Sajid has played seven Tests so far and was part of the Pakistan squad for the three-match series against Australia in March. Hamza played just a solitary Test back in 2018 against Australia, while Dahani is uncapped.

The decision was taken by the Shahid Afridi-led men's interim selection committee on Saturday.

"We had a good discussion on the squad and agreed we needed to strengthen our bowling department to give ourselves the best chance of taking 20 wickets in a match," Afridi said in a PCB media release.

"I am confident the inclusion of three additional bowling resources will give Babar Azam more options to field the best available squad for the first Test."

While Sajid did not have the best of times during the Tests against Australia, returning only four wickets in three matches, he fared much better in the 2022-23 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan's premier first-class competition. The offspinner picked up 21 wickets in seven first-class matches at 34.04 for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He had recorded the fourth-best figures in an innings for a Pakistan bowler in 2022, when he took 8 for 42 against Bangladesh.

Hamza, too, has shown decent form in the tournament, having picked up 16 wickets in four games at an average of 24.00. Dahani played only two games for Sindh this season but has been involved with the Pakistan white-ball sides.

The two-Test series against New Zealand will get underway on Monday in Karachi. Earlier on Saturday, it was announced that the second Test will be moved from Multan to Karachi because of weather concerns. The entire series now - two Tests and three ODIs - will now be staged in Karachi.