Abdur Rehman’s late-season stint with Somerset has been thwarted by his inclusion in Pakistan’s Test and one-day international squads for the rearranged tour of Zimbabwe.
The 33-year-old left-arm spinner, who claimed 27 wickets at an average of 14 in four LV= County Championship games for Somerset at the end of last campaign, is in line to feature in three ODIs from August 27-31 and two Tests from September 3-14.
Rehman was due to rejoin Somerset in time for their next championship clash against defending champions Warwickshire at Edgbaston from August 20. His absence is a big blow to the county, who are a place above the relegation zone - eight points ahead of Surrey who have a game in hand.
Somerset director of cricket Dave Nosworthy told ecb.co.uk: “I’ve spoken to his agent and to Abdur and obviously there’s no point in him coming.”
Nosworthy confirmed that current overseas player Alviro Petersen is not able to extend his stay to play in Somerset’s five remaining championship contests and therefore an alternative will be sought.
Petersen was set to participate in today’s Friends Life t20 quarter-final with Surrey at the Kia Oval and could yet feature in more of the Yorkshire Bank 40 campaign in which Somerset are top of Group C.
“Alviro’s contract also finishes after the end of the T20 campaign,” he added. “Should we make finals day his contract finishes 18th August, but he’s also got commitments with us depending on how far we go in the YB40. But from the championship point of view he’s got commitments back home which he has to go and fulfil.”
Rehman is not in Pakistan’s party for two Twenty20 internationals, which precede the other matches, on August 23 and 24.
Test squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Asad Shafiq, Khurram Manzoor, Adnan Akmal (wk), Faisal Iqbal, Younus Khan, Azhar Ali, Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Rahat Ali, Ehsan Adil.
ODI squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shahzad, Asad Shafiq, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Abdur Rehman, Asad Ali, Anwar Ali, Haris Sohail.
T20 squad: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shahzad, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Zulfiqar Babar, Asad Ali, Anwar Ali, Haris Sohail.