Amla, Steyn return to South Africa T20 squad

South Africa have recalled top guns Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn for the two-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan to be played in the United Arab Emirates next month.

Amla is returning to the shortest format of the game after a self-imposed exile, having played the last of his 15 matches at the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka just over a year ago.

"Hashim is a world class player across all the formats," Cricket South Africa selection convener Andrew Hudson said.

"His experience and stability at the top of the order are qualities that we believe will strengthen the squad in a key area."

Amla currently heads the ICC world rankings for batsmen in both test and one-day internationals.

Steyn, the world's leading test bowler, returns from injury in the place of Rory Kleinveldt.

"It is great to have Dale back as it means we now have all our senior players available again," added Hudson.

The first Twenty20 international will be played on November 13 in Dubai, with the second two days later at the same venue.

Before that the teams will compete in two test matches and five one-day internationals. The first test starts in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Twenty20 squad: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, David Wiese.

Image: Dale Steyn and Hashim Amla

Photograph: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images/Getty Images