Domestic performers in, out-of-form stars out as new chief selector rings in major changes

New Chief Selector Mohammad Wasim named a new look Pakistan squad for the Test series against South Africa, ringing in a number of changes as he axed a series of underperforming regulars and drafted in long ignored domestic cricket stalwarts such as Tabish Khan, Saud Shakeel and Kamran Ghulam.

"The first thing that we did was that we reviewed the New Zealand series that what mistakes were made and what gaps there are to fill," Waseem explained in a press conference held in Karachi before naming the squad.

Wasim said that a variety of things were considered in drafting the squad, stressing that stats were not the sole criteria as "we also analysed that if a batsman scored runs or a bowler picked wickets it was under what situation."

In addition to the aforementioned trio, Abdullah Shafique, Agha Salman, Sajid Khan, Mohammad Nawaz and Nauman Ali were also picked. Also back in the national squad was fit-again Hasan Ali, who starred in the recent Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final. 

Meanwhile, as expected out-of-form trio Shan Masood, Haris Sohail and Mohammad Abbas were dropped. 

Also missing from the squad were Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah, who are both out injured. 

Pakistan squad for South Africa series: 

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Yasir Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Agha Salman, Saud Shakeel, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Hassan Ali, Haris Rauf, Tabish Khan.

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