Lahore, Jun 24 (PTI) Pakistani selectors are waiting on the fitness reports of senior players, Saud Shakeel and Muhammad Rizwan, before they finalise the Test squad for the tours of West Indies and England between July-September.
Saud, who has remained vice-captain of the Test side to Shan Masood, is suffering from a hand injury while Rizwan has also been unable to take part in the red-ball training camp in Lahore due to a injury.
An insider close to the camp which commenced on June 10 said that both Saud and Rizwan were unlikely to be fit in time for the tours.
“The selectors and team management are waiting until 4-5 July when their final medical reports will come in but the nature of their fitness issues is such it will take time for them to recover completely,” he said.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, which is holding separate camps for red and white ball players. It has has called up Test batters Abdullah Shafique and and Kamran Ghulam and uncapped Hamza Nazar to the red-ball camp as cover for Saud and Rizwan.
The insider said that other players also had niggling fitness issues including Shan Masood and Salman Ali Agha.
Pakistan are scheduled to depart for the West Indies on July 13 ahead of their two Test series.
The two matches will be held in Trinidad and Tobago, with the first Test scheduled from July 25 to 29 and the second from August 2 to 6.
Following the West Indies tour, Pakistan will go to England for a three-match Test series beginning August 19. PTI COR BS BS
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