Pakistan drop Shoaib Malik

Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik has been ruled out of the third Test against India following the death of his father.

The Pakistani selectors called up batsman Faisal Iqbal and pace bowler Umar Gul to the 16-man squad for the Test, starting on Sunday in the southern port city of Karachi.

"Malik has not been considered for the third Test because he wants to spend time with his family after the untimely death of his father," Pakistan Cricket Board official Abbas Zaidi said.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board fully understands his state of mind at the moment and sympathizes with him."

Malik's father Malik Faqir Hussain died of liver cancer on Wednesday morning in Sialkot, Punjab.

The all-rounder, who on Sunday night left for his home town to be with his father, was recalled on Tuesday in case he was needed to bat in the second innings on the final day of the second Test in Faisalabad.

Zaidi said that Faisal and Umar had both been picked on account of their outstanding form in domestic cricket.

Faisal, who is a nephew of former captain Javed Miandad and has played 10 Tests, last appeared for Pakistan in 2003 against South Africa while Umar's last appearance for his country was against India at Lahore in 2004.

Then he took five for 31

Zaidi said the selectors had also retained captain Inzamam-ul Haq in the squad despite his own back problem.

"He is resting on the advice of the doctors and also undergoing necessary rehabilitation process we are very hopeful he will recover in time to lead the team in the final Test," he added.

Inzamam was ruled out of the second Test after suffering a recurrence of his back problem that has dodged him for the last two years.

He also missed two Tests on Pakistan's last tour to Australia because of the problem in late 2004 early 2005.

Squad - Inzamam-ul-Haq, Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Faisal Iqbal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Rana Naved, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria and Arshad Khan.