Rawalpindi [Pakistan], February 3 (ANI): Pakistan cricket selectors on Wednesday retained the same 17 players for the second Test who were shortlisted for the first Test against South Africa that was played in Karachi from January 26-30.
The playing line-up will now be finalised by the captain in consultation with the head coach for the match, which will commence at the Pindi Cricket Stadium from February 4.
The 17-player squad is:
Openers – Abid Ali and Imran Butt.
Middle-order batsmen – Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam and Saud Shakeel.
All-rounders – Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz.
Wicketkeepers – Mohammad Rizwan and Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Spinners – Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan and Yasir Shah.
Fast bowlers – Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Tabish Khan.
Nauman Ali had made a memorable debut for Pakistan as he picked seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings of the first Test, to power his side to a win over South Africa on day four.
With this win, Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Chasing the target of 88, Pakistan openers Imran Butt and Abid Ali avoided risky shots as the team was not chasing a huge target. However, Anrich Nortje came out all guns blazing in the eighth over, removing both Abid (10) and Butt (12).
Azhar Ali and skipper Azam then joined hands in the middle. Both played brilliantly, scoring regular boundaries but with the team just two runs away, Keshav Maharaj dismissed Babar (30) in the 23rd over. Fawad Alam then came out and hit a boundary to take Pakistan over the line. (ANI)