Pakistan Sports Journal

Pakistan's cricket selectors have recalled former captain Younis Khan for next month's Twenty20 internationals against New Zealand.

Khan retired from Twenty20 cricket after leading Pakistan to the World Cup title in England last year, but said last month he was available to represent Pakistan in all formats of the game.

Chief selector Mohsin Khan said that the squad for the six one-day internationals against New Zealand will be announced later.

Veteran batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who was injured before the two-Test series against South Africa played in the United Arab Emirates earlier this month, was not picked for the two Test matches against New Zealand.

"The upcoming tour of New Zealand is extremely important for us as it will help in the preparations for the World Cup," Mohsin Khan said in a statement.

Pakistan lost the Twenty20 and ODI series to South Africa, but drew the two Test matches at Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Misbah-ul-Haq was retained as captain for the Tests while Shahid Afridi will lead the side in the Twenty20s.

Left-arm fast bowler Sohail Tanvir, who was sidelined from international cricket for more than a year, recovered from knee injury and was included in both the Twenty20 and Test squads, while Mohammad Sami's 13th Test comeback is over after one match, with the seamer left out for the New Zealand series.

The series begins with a three-match Twenty20 series starting on December 26.

Squads:

Twenty20: Shahid Afridi (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shahzad, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Adnan Akmal (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz (subject to fitness).

Test: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz (subject to fitness).