Pakistan announce strong A squad

Ten players with Test experience have been included in a strong Pakistan A squad to take on Australia A in the first four-day match to be played at the Pindi Cricket Ground, which starts on September 11.

Experienced players such as Mohammad Sami, Asim Kamal, Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed and Shoaib Malik find a place in the 15-man squad. A further eight players who have Test experience are among the 12 reserves picked for the series, including Arshad Khan and Imran Farhat.

For the Pakistani selectors, the series is crucial as it allows them not only an opportunity to test promising young players but also to provide established players with some vital match practice as preparation for the series against England from October.

Pakistan's coach Bob Woolmer is in charge of the A squad and he will be assisted by former national team manager Haroon Rashid. The national team trainers Grant Compton and Daryl Lifson are also working with the team.

The second and final four-day match will be played from September 17 at the same venue, before the two teams move to Lahore for four one-day internationals.

Pakistan A squad 1Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 2 Salman Butt, 3 Yasir Hameed, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Bazid Khan, 6 Asim Kamal, 7 Zulqarnain Haider (wk), 8 Imran Tahir, 9 Muhammad Sami, 10 Muhammad Asif, 11 Umar Gul, 12 Asher Zaidi, 13 Yasir Arafat, 14 Faisal Iqbal, 15 Muhammad Irshad.

Reserves 1 Shahid Nazir, 2 Nomanullah, 3 Imran Farhat, 4 Mansoor Amjad, 5 Shahid Yousuf, 6 Yasir Ali, 7 Najaf Shah, 8 Muhammad Khalil, 9 Hasan Raza, 10 Taufeeq Umar, 11 Arshad Khan, 12 Rao Iftikhar Anjum.