Pakistan name squad to take on Australia

Pakistan will take the same squad from their ongoing tour of New Zealand across the Tasman next week for the three-match Commonwealth Bank Test series against Australia.

The squad features star fast bowlers Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir as well as spinner Yasir Shah, while the batting will be led by veteran skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.

Report & Highlights: New Zealand set Pakistan 369 to win

The two-Test series in New Zealand will be completed on Tuesday, and the Pakistan team will leave for Australia a day later where they play the first of three Tests - a day-night affair in Brisbane - from December 15.

Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said continuity is necessary.

"We have kept the same 16-member squad for the tour of Australia because we believe in continuity and think that the same team has done well in England so it will do well in Australia as well," Inzamam told AFP.

Pakistan drew a four-match series 2-2 in England in August this year, which briefly lifted them to number one in the Test rankings for the first time in their history.

However, they are in danger of losing their first Test series against New Zealand in 31 years after failing the first Test in Christchurch by eight wickets.

They were set a daunting 369-run target by New Zealand in the second Test in Hamilton on Monday.

Inzamam said a lot of names were considered but after consultation with captain Misbah-ul-Haq and coach Mickey Arthur, the same squad was retained.

Former Test wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, Usman Salahuddin and Asif Zakir were unlucky to not be in the squad after scoring big in an ongoing domestic tournament.

Akmal, who played the last of his 53 Tests at Lord's in 2010, has piled up 826 runs, while Zakir has 811 and Salahuddin 813.

The remaining two Tests in Australia will be played in Melbourne (December 26-30) and Sydney (January 3-7).

Pakistan will also play five one-day internationals in Australia, a squad for which will be announced later.

Pakistan squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Azhar Ali, Sami Aslam, Sharjeel Khan, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Rizwan, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Sohail Khan, Imran Khan

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