LAHORE: Mohammad Amir’s recent form saw him being left out for the upcoming Twenty20 series against Australia while uncapped left-arm quick Waqas Maqsood earned a call-up as Pakistan announced their 15-man squad on Thursday.

Also axed from the national team for the shortest format of the game were all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz and batsman Haris Sohail, who alongside Amir featured in Pakistan’s T20 tri-series triumph in Zimbabwe.

All-rounder Imad Wasim has been recalled alongside batsman Babar Azam for the three-match series against Australia starting next week.

Amir was Pakistan’s most successful bowler in the tri-series in Zimbabwe that also featured Australia, taking five wickets in as many matches.

But the 26-year-old left-arm fast bowler went wicketless in Pakistan’s three matches at the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates last month and was omitted for the ongoing Test series against Australia.

In his place, Waqas has been included after good performances for the Pakistan ‘A’ side in their T20 series against New Zealand ‘A’ in the UAE, which Pakistan lost 2-1.

Waqas has taken 14 wickets in the Quaid-i-Azam One-day Cup and has 20 wickets in 19 T20 matches with an impressive economy rate of 6.58.

“Waqas Maqsood has been drafted in the T20 squad after his recent performances in domestic cricket and playing for Pakistan ‘A’ team in the recent series against New Zealand’s ‘A’ team,” chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq was quoted as saying in a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) news release.

Imad, who bowls left-arm spin, wasn’t in the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup but is set to make a comeback after regaining fitness.

“Allrounder Imad Wasim makes a comeback in the team after his form and fitness was monitored by the selection committee during the current domestic matches,” added Inzamam.

Imad’s last match was during the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka in Lahore last year.

Babar, meanwhile, was considered as the best choice to replace Haris in the middle-order.

The first Twenty20 international is in Abu Dhabi on October 24 with the second and third games of the series to be played in Dubai on October 26 and 28.

Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shinwari, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Waqas Maqsood, Faheem Ashraf.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2018