Veteran Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has opted out of the two-Test series against South Africa starting later this month.

"Wasim has told the (team) manager about his unavailability and he in turn has informed the board about this situation. But no final decision has been taken on this issue," Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Samiul Hasan told Reuters  on Tuesday.

"He has not informed the board directly as such. We have no plans at the moment to recall him after the one-day series in South Africa," he added.

South Africa and Pakistan will play five one-day internationals, starting on December 8, followed by Tests in Durban and Cape Town.

The 36-year-old Akram was named in both the one-day and Test squads for the tour of South Africa after he skipped the October Test series against Australia, saying he wanted to concentrate on limited-overs matches and the World Cup.

"Wasim was picked for the Test squad only after he told the board he wanted to play the Tests. We don't know what has prompted this change of heart," the spokesman said.

Wasim has featured in just two of Pakistan's last 11 Tests since August 2001 and went without a wicket in them. He remains Pakistan's leading wicket-taker in both forms of the game, with 414 Test and 486 one-day international wickets.