Pakistan recall Shehzad, Umar for Sri Lanka T20s

Pakistan Wednesday recalled trouble-making opener Ahmed Shehzad and middle-order batsman Umar Akmal for the three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka starting this weekend.

It will be the first time the 27-year-old Shehzad will represent Pakistan since a four-month ban for a failed dope test last year.

The ban was further extended by six weeks after Shehzad violated rules by playing club matches despite the ban.

Shehzad played the last of his 57 Twenty20 internationals in Scotland in June last year.

Umar, 29, played the last of 82 Twenty20 internationals in 2016 against the West Indies.

That year, former head coach Waqar Younis labelled both Shehzad and Umar as "indisciplined" and called on selectors to let them play domestic cricket to earn their places in the national team.

The three Twenty20 internationals will all be played in Lahore on October 5, 7 and 9.

Chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq announced the changes to the squad as it prepared to meet Sri Lanka for the final one-day international of the tour on Wednesday in Karachi. 

The first ODI was abandoned due to rain, while Pakistan won the second on Monday.

"From the ODI side against Sri Lanka there are three changes. Shehzad, Umar and Faheem Ashraf have replaced Abid Ali, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq," said Misbah.

Sarfaraz Ahmed will lead the Twenty20 squad.

Twenty20 squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Babar Azam (vice-captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Umar Akmal, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz