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Sohail and Latif drafted into Pakistan squad

Pakistan have called up Sohail Khan and Khalid Latif, both of whom are uncapped, to their squad for the third ODI in Multan against Zimbabwe on January 27


Sohail Khan, the right-arm fast-bowler, has been rewarded for his consistent performances in domestic cricket © Faras Ghani
 
Pakistan have called up Sohail Khan and Khalid Latif, both of whom are uncapped, to their squad for the third ODI in Multan against Zimbabwe on January 27.

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Sohail, a right-arm fast-bowler, replaces an unimpressive Samiullah Khan, who failed to pick up any wickets in the two ODIs, and Latif has been called up in place of Sarfraz Ahmed, the reserve wicket keeper.

Sohail was widely tipped to make his ODI debut in Karachi after grabbing 65 wickets in nine first-class matches this season, while also impressing in the four-day tour match against the Zimbabweans. He troubled batsmen with both pace and bounce in that match but was advised a week's rest after feeling a slight niggle in his right shoulder while throwing the ball.

Sarfraz has been sent to a specialist wicket-keeping camp taking place in Lahore as the selectors are keen to persist with Kamran Akmal for the third ODI. They, however, have not ruled out Sarfraz's return to the squad if Pakistan wrap up the series at Multan.

The inclusion of opener Latif will put pressure on Salman Butt, who has failed to impress in the series so far. Run out for four in Karachi, Butt made only 17 in Hyderabad.

For the second match running, he was overshadowed by the 18-year-old Nasir Jamshed, who has marked his start in international cricket with consecutive half-centuries. Latif scored 593 runs in the recently-concluded Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and was part of the Patron's XI squad that took on the Zimbabweans in the tour match.

Squad - Shoaib Malik, Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Iftikhar Anjum, Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, Kamran Hussain, Khalid Latif, Sohail Khan

Sohail KhanKhalid LatifPakistanZimbabwe tour of Pakistan