Umar Akmal has been left out of Pakistan's Test squad the series against Sri Lanka.
Selectors lose patience with batsman
Umar Akmal has been left out of Pakistan's Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates.
The batsman has struggled for form over the past two years and has been advised to take time to work on his game, with Pakistan's chief selector Mohsin Khan admitting Akmal "was not justifying his place in Test cricket".
Akmal is without a Test century since making a ton on his debut against New Zealand in 2009, and averaged just 24.33 in 2010. The 21-year-old has managed only one Test half-century this year, forcing the Pakistan Cricket Board to act.
His place in the middle order is likely to be taken by either Asad Shafiq or Shoaib Malik.
Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz return to the pace attack after missing the recent Zimbabwe tour, with Sohail Tanvir and Tanvir Ahmed making way, while spinner Abdur Rehman is recalled to a 15-man squad.
Interim coach
The PCB also confirmed Mohsin will take on the role of interim coach during the tour, a temporary measure while a permanent successor to Waqar Younis, who resigned after the recent tour of Zimbabwe, is sought.
Pakistan will hold a pre-tour camp in Lahore from October 10-13 ahead of the trip to the UAE, where Pakistan will play three Tests against Sri Lanka, five one-day internationals and a T20 international.
The opening Test gets under way in Abu Dhabi on October 18.
Pakistan squad: Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umar, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Malik, Adnan Akmal (wkt), Saeed Ajmal, Adur Rehman, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan
