YASIR SHAH PASSES FITNESS, IN PAK SQUAD FOR LANKA TESTS
LAHORE: Pakistan’s prolific legspinner Yasir Shah passed a late fitness test on Saturday to join the 16-man squad for the twomatch Test series against Sri Lanka starting next week.
The 31-year-old has been team’s leading wicket-taker since making his debut in 2014, with a tally of 149 scalps in 26 Tests.
Shah’s 24 wickets in three Tests helped Pakistan beat Sri Lanka away in 2015 but the stocky spinner has struggled for fitness in the past few months.
Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said Shah was told he would not be selected if he didn’t pass the final fitness test.
“Yasir has been our main bowler for the way he has taken wickets consistently, but he needed to maintain a fitness standard and was told he had to pass the test and he did to get a place in the squad,” said Inzamam while announcing the squad.
The first Test starts in Abu Dhabi from Thursday. The second Test, a day-night affair, will be in Dubai from October 6.
The two teams will also play five one-day internationals and three T20s, the last of which will be in Lahore on October 29 -- subject to security clearance.
The series will be the first without stalwarts Younis Khan and former skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, who retired following the series in the West Indies in May. Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Asghar, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Wahab Riaz.