Pakistan wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka with a finger injury, the country's cricket board said on Friday.
Pakistani selectors are under pressure from skipper Misbah ul Haq to include glovesman Adnan Akmal and an extra pacer in the touring squad for the Test series in South Africa.
Zimbabwe are still in with a chance of an upset victory, but Pakistan appeared in control at close on the fourth day of the second Test in Harare on Friday. Pakistan, needing 264 for victory, finished on 158 for five.
Khurram Manzoor and Younus Khan scored half centuries as Pakistan made a strong reply to Zimbabwe's first innings total of 294 on the second day of the second Test at the Harare Sports Club, on Wednesday. At the close, Pakistan were 163 for 3, with Younus unbeaten on 52 and captain Misbah-ul-Haq on 27.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has retained Misbah-ul-Haq as captain for this month's Asia Cup while Shoaib Malik, Imran Farhat and Adnan Akmal did not make the 15-man squad for the tournament.
Azhar Ali smashed a second century in successive matches on Wednesday to leave the final Test between Pakistan against Sri Lanka poised for an intriguing finish. His 136 enabled Pakistan wriggled out of a tight corner and post 299-8 in their second innings by stumps on the fourth day in Pallekele.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal suffered a hairline fracture to his left hand and will not take the field when the third and final test against Sri Lanka resumes on Monday.
Sri Lanka claimed the extra half-hour at the end of the fourth day to complete a 209-run rout of Pakistan in the first Test on Monday. The visitors, chasing an unlikely victory target of 510, were bowled out for 300.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal was a surprise omission when Pakistan announced their latest batch of central contracts on Monday. The 29-year-old Kamran, a veteran of 53 Tests, 137 one-day internationals and 38 Twenty20s, has been replaced by his younger brother Adnan Akmal, 26, who toured New Zealand last year.
Pakistan built on a strong start from openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar to take a 96-run first innings lead, with three wickets in hand, after the second day of the opening Test against England on Wednesday.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal took five catches as New Zealand's top order failed to capitalise on sound starts and battled to 246 for six at the close of play on the first day of the second Test at a windswept Basin Reserve on Saturday.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-haq led from the front, scoring his second half century of the match, to ensure his side batted out the final day to draw the second Test against New Zealand on Wednesday and claim their first series victory since 2006.
Hashim Amla notched his 20th Test century but three wickets for 34-year-old debutant Zulfiqar Babar allowed Pakistan to restrict South Africa to 245 for eight on the opening day of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Pakistan's most accomplished batsman Younus Khan completed an unbeaten double century on Friday to turn the course of the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club. At the close Zimbabwe, set 342 for victory when Pakistan declared their second innings closed at 419 for nine, were 13 for one after Tino Mawoyo was dismissed lbw for two by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Batsman Youni s Khan struck an unbeaten half-century to help Pakistan out of early trouble in their second innings on day three of the first Test against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal and South Africa batsman Robin Peterson have been fined 50 percent of their match fee by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for their shoving match during the first Test.
Pakistan Test batsman Umar Akmal has been detained by police for questioning after being accused of assaulting a police warden in his hometown of Lahore.
Brian Vitori grabbed five wickets and opener Tino Mawoyo scored a half-century as Zimbabwe took control of the second Test against Pakistan with a 185-run lead on Thursday.
Debutant fast bowler Bilawal Bhatti dismissed experienced duo Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in consecutive deliveries as Pakistan strengthened their hold on the first Test against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Opening batsman Khurram Manzoor, who has not played for Pakistan's Test team for three and a half years, is back in the squad for the tour of Zimbabwe that starts this month.
Pakistan's national Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez has been dropped from the 12-member squad named for the two-Test series against South Africa to be held in UAE later this month.
South Africa will have to dig deep if they are to avoid defeat in the first Test after being reduced to 72 for four wickets in their second innings, still trailing Pakistan by 121 runs, in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
In-form Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez returned to Pakistan's 15-member squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka, starting in the United Arab Emirates, next week. Hafeez scored three centuries in four One-Day Internationals in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.
Zimbabwe captured nine Pakistan wickets for 249 runs on the opening day of the first Test in Harare on Tuesday after a frustrating ninth-wicket partnership between Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan.
Angelo Mathews made amends for missing a century in the first innings with a gritty unbeaten 116 in the second as Sri Lanka racked up a solid lead in the opening Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Captain Graeme Smith hit an unbeaten double century as South Africa went on a merciless scoring spree to establish a 361-run lead over Pakistan on the second day of the second Test in Dubai on Thursday. Smith was 227 not out and a cramping AB de Villiers scored an unbeaten 157 as the pair set a new South African fifth-wicket partnership record of 326 to put the top-ranked team firmly in command.
The Pakistan-born bowler made an instant impact on his return to the South Africa line-up and his team mates made sure his hard work did not go to waste as they finished the day on 128 for three wickets, a 29-run first innings lead.
Pakistan retained under-fire skipper Misbah-ul Haq and out-of-form Muhammad Hafeez, but dropped tall left-arm pacer Muhammad Irfan from the 28-man probables' list for the two-Test series against South Africa.
Zimbabwe completed only their 11th Test victory with a dramatic 24-run win over Pakistan at Harare Sports club on Saturday to draw the series 1-1.
Pakistan fast bowlers Junaid Khan and Bilawal Bhatti scythed through Sri Lanka's batting during an exciting afternoon session to restrict their opponents to 204 on the first day of the opening Test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Khurram Manzoor was unbeaten on 131 and Pakistan ended on 263 for three, a lead of 14 runs over South Africa who were bowled out for 249 early in the morning session.
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