Pakistan axe Younis Khan for Australia one-day series

Pakistan have axed senior batsman Younis Khan for next month's one-day series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates as they announced their ODI and Twenty20 squads on Wednesday. After a one-off T20 match on Oct. 5, Pakistan will play Australia in three one-dayers over the following week before the first test starts on Oct. 22 in Dubai.

Younis, 36, was recalled to the side for the August ODI series in Sri Lanka and played in the first game before returning home due to the death of his nephew. Younis, who has played 254 ODIs, had previously been sidelined by the selectors since March, 2013. "Younis has been dropped as part of a strategy to look forward to the future but the doors are not closed on him," chief selector Moin Khan told a news conference.

"There is little time left before the World Cup so the selectors have decided to try out and give more exposure to the new and younger players," he added. Australia and New Zealand will host the World Cup from Feb. 14-March 29 next year. Younis, despite having an impressive batting average of 51 in 91 tests, has not been as effective in ODIs, scoring 7017 runs at an average of 31.

STILL HOPING

But the batsman told reporters in Karachi he had not given up hope of playing at the World Cup. "I will do my best to force my way back into the ODI side. I have no plans to retire from this format as yet," he added. The selectors also ignored experienced pacer Umar Gul for the ODI and T20 squads and dropped left arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar.

Khan said that while announcing the two squads the main thrust was on the World Cup "which is why we have focused on youngsters like Saad Nasim." Nasim, a leg spinner-batsman, is the only uncapped player in the two squads. "We have also recalled some young players like Umar Amin and Reza Hasan to bolster the squad, but this does not take anything away from the service Younis has given to the Pakistan team," he added. Pakistan have also recalled opener Ovais Zia for the T20 match after he last played against England in the same format in early 2012. Umar Amin, 24, who has played four tests, 14 ODIs and nine T20 matches, is a stylish left hander who last played in a T20 in December 2013. Left arm spinner, Reza Hasan, 22, played seven T20 games in 2012 before being sidelined with a back injury.

One-day squad:

Misbah-ul-Haq (Capt), Muhammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Sohaib Maqsood, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Reza Hasan, Muhammad Irfan, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan.

T20 squad:

Shahid Afridi (Capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Muhammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Sohaib Maqsood, Owais Zia, Saad Nasim, Reza Hasan, Muhammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Bilawal Bhatti, Anwar Ali, Sohail Tanvir.