Pakistan have left spinner Abdur Rehman and batsman Nasir Jamshed out of their squad for this month’s Twenty20 internationals with Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates.
Rehman played only one of the four T20Is versus South Africa in November and went for 18 runs in his solitary over. Jamshed played three matches, but did not make 20 in any of them and also failed to score at over a run a ball.
Left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar, who was not picked for the recently-concluded home and away limited-overs games against the Proteas due to a finger injury, has been named in the 14-man squad, which will also play a one-off T20I with Afghanistan in the lead-up to the Sri Lanka series.
Middle-order batsman Haris Sohail, who has been on the fringes of the national team but has not played in it since August, makes a comeback. Uncapped opener Sharjeel Khan also earns a call-up.
Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has missed out as he recovers from an injury sustained in the final match of the series against South Africa in the UAE last month and needs a four-week rest period.
Veteran all-rounders Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Malik, who were ruled out of the South Africa games with injury, have not been named.
Off-spinner Ajmal will not play versus Afghanistan on December 8, but will join the team ahead of the two matches against Sri Lanka, scheduled for December 11 and 13.
Pakistan squad: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Zulfiqar Babar, Bilawal Bhatti, Junaid Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Anwar Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Haris Sohail.