Sri Lanka Test series: What about those who were left out of Pakistan squad?

Players who didn't make the cut for the Sri Lanka Test series should not feel "bogged down", national team's chief selector Haroon Rashid has told those not drafted to play in the series due to start next month.

A press release from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) quoted Rashid as saying on Saturday: "The players who have missed out on the selection should not get bogged down as they firmly remain part of our plans."

Moreover, Rashid promised the players an "exciting" season, advising them to utilise domestic cricket and tours fully.

"We have an exciting and challenging season ahead of us and they should make the most of the opportunities in domestic cricket and Shaheens' tours to keep themselves ready."

The press release also quoted Rashid congratulating those who had been selected.

"I want to congratulate all the players who have been selected in the side, especially Mohammad Huraira and Aamir Jamal, who have pushed their case through impressive performances over a period of time.

"We have devised this squad with the conditions and challenges our players will encounter in Sri Lanka. This is our first series of the third round of the ICC World Test Championship, and this squad is fully capable of providing us a solid start," the chief selector hoped.

The two-match series against Sri Lanka is set to take place next month.

Squad

Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood

Bowling coach

Meanwhile, the PCB has also announced the appointment of Morne Morkel as the national side's bowling coach.

The former South Africa pacer has joined the national side on a six-month contract. Over the course of his 11-year-long international career, Morkel took 309 wickets in 86 Tests, 188 wickets in 117 ODIs and 47 scalps in 44 T20Is.

His last international game was in Lahore for World XI against Pakistan in September 2017.