Pakistan news: Setbacks for the hosts ahead of Australia series

Iftikhar Ahmed and fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jnr have been added to the Pakistan Test squad for the first match of the three-match series against Australia.

The two have been called up as replacements for Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali who have been ruled out of the Rawalpindi Test (first of the series) due to injuries.

Both Iftikhar and Wasim will join the squad in Islamabad and start their three-day isolation at the team hotel, after which they will join the rest of the squad after clearing covid tests.

Faheem and Hasan will rejoin the squad in the coming week, and after completing their three-day mandatory isolation integrate with the rest of the squad during the first Test, both are expected to regain full fitness before the second Test that will be played in Karachi 12-16 March.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood. Reserves: Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Haris, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim Jnr.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. On standby: Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Renshaw

March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi

March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi

March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore

Australia ODI and T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis,