Wahab Riaz in shortlisted Pakistan squad for England Tests

Derby, July 28:  Left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz has been included in Pakistan's 20-man shortlisted squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against England.

Riaz last played a Test in October 2018 and will be joined by Mohammad Abass, Naseem Shah, Usman Shinwari, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan and Faheem Ashraf in the pace department, apart from the 32-year old uncapped Imran Khan Jr for the Test series.

The nine players who have not been included in the squad will remain with the group and will continue to train ahead of the T20I series which follows the Tests, stated a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) media release. Those nine players are Fakhar Zahman, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain and Musa Khan.

Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests and as many T20Is against England beginning August 5. The first Test between the two teams will be played in Manchester starting August 5 while the final two Tests are scheduled to be played in Southampton from August 13 and August 21 respectively.

The three T20Is, meanwhile, will be played at a single venue in Manchester on August 28, August 30 and September 1 respectively.

Pakistan squad: Azhar Ali (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Imam ul haq, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah.