BBC SPORT | Cricket | All change for Pakistan

Richard Pybus has been re-appointed Pakistan's cricket coach.

The news comes on the same day Pakistan's selectors unveiled a 16-man squad for the Test series against Australia including newcomer Naved-ul-Hasan.

Pybus's contract lasts until the World Cup in and he will join the team shortly in Colombo.

He replaces sacked Mudassar Nazar having coached the Pakistan team on three separate occasions between 1999 and 2001.

We have picked the best available side

Wasim Bari
Chief of selectors

As well as rookie all-rounder Naved-ul-Hasan, seamer Mohammad Zahid is also named for the three-Test series against Australia.

The selectors were forced into a re-think when four senior players pulled themselves out of the running.

Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousaf Youhana are all out of contention.

Chief selector Wasim Bari said he had "no option" but to give Naved and Zahid their chance.

"With Inzamam and Youhana injured and Wasim and Saeed opting for a rest from the series, we had to give exposure to these new players," he said.

Shahid Afridi's services are not required

"We have picked the best available side and this is a great opportunity for the youngsters to establish their credentials before the World Cup."

As well as picking Naved and Zahid, Pakistan have also gone for the20-year-old middle-order batsman Hasan Raza, who has played in two Tests.

Naved, 24, who has played for English minor county Herefordshire bast right-handed and bowls right-arm seam.

Zahid has played four Tests, but the last was in October 1998.

He will only make the touring party, however, if he passes a fitness test by playing in the ,atch against Sri Lanka 'A' starting in Multan on Monday.

The selectors have not included all-rounders Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik, in an indication that both are seen as one-day specialists.

Pakistan will be playing the tests against Australia at neutral venues after the Australians refused to tour Pakistan for security reasons.

Squad: Waqar Younis (Capt), Younis Khan, Imran Farhat, Imran Nazir, Taufeeq Umar, Faisal Iqbal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Hasan Raza, Rashid Latif, Abdur Razzaq, Muhammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Danish Kaneria, Naveed-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Zahid.


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