LAHORE, Aug 31: Fast bowler Mohammad Sami, batsmen Hasan Raza and Asim Kamal were notable omissions from the 16-member Pakistan ‘A’ squad, which was announced on Friday for the coming series against the Australia ‘A’.

The formidable Australians will be arriving here on Saturday night to play two four-day and three one-day matches.

Test batsman Faisal Iqbal has already been announced as captain for the Pakistan side. The team comprises three openers, including Taufiq Umar, Khalid Latif and Riffatullah Mohmand, four middle-order batsmen, namely, Faisal, Yasir Hameed, Naved Latif, Shahid Yousuf, two all-rounders Sohail Tanvir and Tahir Khan, five medium-fast bowlers Mohammad Khalil, Abdur Rauf, Mohammad Irshad, Junaid Zia and Najaf Shah plus leg-spinner Mansoor Amjad and wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed.

The team was picked by the national selection committee out of 27 probables who had earlier attended a short training camp at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed told Dawn that this team was only for the first one-dayer to be played at Lahore on Wednesday.

Explaining the non-inclusion of Hasan, Asim and Sami, Salahuddin said: “Hasan could not impress the selectors for the one-day version of the game. However, he will be considered for selection for the four-day games.

“Sami is suffering from a viral infection and according to the doctor, he needs 10 days’ rest while Asim did not attend the training camp so he could not be considered,” the chief selector said. Asim has gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

The chief selector hoped the home side would give tough time to the Australians. “The team is quite capable to give some tough competition to the Australians who are coming here with a couple of experienced Test players in their ranks including Jason Gillespie and Stuart MacGill,” he said. “The series will provide our players with an opportunity to prove their talent.”

Pakistan ‘A’ squad: Faisal Iqbal (captain), Taufiq Umar, Khalid Latif, Yasir Hameed, Naved Latif, Sohail Tanvir, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), Tahir Khan, Mohammad Khalil, Abdur Rauf, Mohammad Irshad, Shahid Yousuf, Junaid Zia, Najaf Shah, Mansoor Amjad and Riffatullah Mohmand.