Squad for second Test likely today

Lahore, Nov. 23: The Pakistan cricket selectors will name a 14-man squad for the second Test on Friday evening, officials said.

A meeting of the selectors is scheduled at the Qadhafi Stadium after chief selector Wasim Bari and Iqbal Qasim (member, selection committee) return after inspecting the pitch at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad where the second Test will be played between Nov 29 and Dec 3.

Officials said two strips have been prepared for the game. However, the Test pitch would be finalized once the Pakistan team arrives in Faislabad on Monday.

However, insiders said prospects of wicket assisting the spinners was most likely to picked. Keeping that in mind, the selectors are expected to enforce just one change in the 14 that were named for the drawn Lahore Test.

Waqar Younis, who was unceremoniously dropped, is likely to be recalled in place of Qaisar Abbas who had a disappointing debut. Nevertheless, Waqar's place in the playing lineup is not guaranteed as the chances were that Pakistan would go in with three specialist spinners.

Rookie leg-spinner Danish Kaneria will make his debut in place of Qaisar Abbas which means Pakistan will play with five specialist batsmen, three spinners, two all-rounders and a wicket-keeper.

The likely 14 are: Moin Khan (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Salim Elahi, Imran Nazir, Yousuf Youhana, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmad and Danish Kaneria.