Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the two-match Twenty20 (T20) series against Sri Lanka to be played in Colombo on 30 July and 1 August.
There are a number of surprises in the Pakistani team. Umar Akmal, who was dropped from the ODI series for indiscipline (Akmal failed to show up for a conditioning camp ahead of the ODI series against Sri Lanka), makes his way back to the T20 squad.
Yasir Shah is surely one of the best addition to this Pakistan squad as his deliveries have done the talking in this tour so far. Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz have also been named for the T20 squad.
Riaz had suffered an injury during the Test series against Sri Lanka earlier this month. He can be a part of the playing XI only if he passess a fitness test ahead of the T20 series.
"Wahab Riaz is expected to start bowling from July 24, 2015 after recovering from hand injury sustained during the Test series against Sri Lanka, under the supervision of NCA coaches and would be included in the squad upon clearance that he is injury free and bowling to their satisfaction.
"Otherwise Zia-ul-Haq - a budding young fast bowler having toured recently with Pakistan A - would take his place in the team," chief selector of PCB, Haroon Rashid, told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.
Rashid said that it was because of Sohail Tanvir's performance in the Caribbean Premier League that he is in the squad. Tanvir last played was a T20 match played against Bangladesh in April.
Pakistan's Squad for T20 Series Against Sri Lanka: Ahmed Shehzad, Nauman Anwar, Mohammad Hafeez, Mukhtar Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Shahid Afridi (C), Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Sohail Tanvir, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz/Zia-ul-Haq.
