Pakistan drop Shafiq, Amir and Malik; PSL suffers setback

Pakistan axed Asad Shafiq from their Test team for the upcoming New Zealand tour on Wednesday, also omitting veterans Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik from the Twenty20 squad as part of their go-young policy in the short format.

Middle order batsman Shafiq managed only 67 runs in five innings in Pakistan's 1-0 series defeat in England in August.

"Asad Shafiq has been left out due to lack of form," head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said in a statement after announcing an expanded 35-member squad.

"I am sure he will utilise this time to work harder on his game in the domestic first-class matches so that he, like Sarfaraz Ahmed, can reclaim his form and be back in contention for the upcoming Tests against South Africa and Zimbabwe."

The two-match series, beginning on Dec. 26 at Mount Maunganui, will mark the beginning of Babar Azam's tenure as Pakistan's Test captain.

Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan will be Azam's deputy for the Tests.

The Test matches will be preceded by three Twenty20 Internationals but paceman Amir and veteran all-rounder Malik will not be seen in action.

"Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats," Misbah said.

Exceptions were made for all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, 40, and left-arm quick Wahab Riaz, 35, "purely on the basis of their outstanding and consistent performances as well as the value they bring to the T20I squad," Misbah said.

The touring party, which also includes Pakistan's 'A' team, will leave for New Zealand on Nov. 23 and spend the mandatory 14-day quarantine period in Lincoln.

PSL suffers setback before play-offs stage, more foreign players pull out

The efforts of Pakistan Cricket Board to complete the Pakistan Super League have received setbacks due to the unavailability of some more overseas players ahead of the play-offs matches due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions.

The PCB is holding the four remaining play-off matches and the summit clash this weekend and next week in Karachi.

But for the first time since the PSL was launched in 2016, former West Indian captain Darren Sammy, who has one of the leading faces of the league, is not available to play for his franchise.

Sammy, who has also captained Zalmi, will not be flying to Karachi because of COVID-19 related travel issues. New Zealand's Mitchell McClenaghan has also pulled out due to his country's travel guidelines.

McClenaghan, who represented Karachi Kings, will not play the matches to be held on November 14, 15 and 17 in Karachi.

A well-informed source said that the franchises were facing difficulties in finding replacements due to the problems posed by travel restrictions.

The PSL franchises have already lost service of leading English players due to their country's white ball series in South Africa while James Vince of England and Bangladesh's Mahmudullah also pulled out after testing positive for the virus.

The PCB also confirmed one more COVID-19 positive case and said the concerned individual has been shifted to an isolation room in the team hotel while the rest of his team members had tested negative.