LAHORE–October 27, 2014: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Mr Shaharyar M.Khan, has approved the selection committee’s recommendation to retain the same squad which won the first Test against Australia for the second Test which starts in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The first Test was won by Pakistan by 221 runs. The second and last Test match commences on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
The squad for the second Test is:
1. Ahmed Shehzad
2. Asad Shafiq
3. Azhar Ali
4. Ehsan Adil
5. Haris Sohail
6. Imran Khan
7. Misbah-ul-Haq (captain)
8. Mohammad Hafeez
9. Mohammad Talha
10. Rahat Ali
11. Sarfraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper)
12. Shan Masood
13. Taufeeq Umar
14. Yasir Shah
15. Younus Khan
16. Zulfiqar Babar
Chairman of Selectors, Moin Khan Quote
“The selectors have decided to retain the same 16 players for the second Test, though the playing line-up will be finalized only after inspecting the pitch.
“The selectors are encouraged and delighted with the performance of the Pakistan side in the first Test and a lot of credit must be given to Younis Khan, who utilized all his knowledge and experience to score two centuries in the Dubai Test. The selectors would like to congratulate him for becoming Pakistan’s leading century-maker.
“There were notable performances from Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah, while Misbah marshalled his troops as well as he has done in the past. As stated in the past, matches against Australia will do a world of good to the development and confidence of the youngsters who will blossom into top class players under the wings of Younis and Misbah.
“Coach Waqar Younis has been emphasizing on staying focused and this is the best advice he has given to his players at this stage. Australia is a dangerous side and has all the potential to bounce back, and, as such, we need to avoid complacency and being over-confident.
“There is an added incentive for the players in Abu Dhabi. If they win, then they will jump to third behind South Africa and Australia in the ICC Test Rankings. This will be Pakistan’s highest ranking for some time. But, this will not come easy and we will have to play really hard and well to earn it.”
