LAHORE, Pakistan, Nov 8, 2021 (AFP) – Veteran Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez opted out of Pakistan’s three-match Twenty20 international series on Monday, saying a youngster should be given a chance on the tour.

The 40-year-old is part of Pakistan’s ongoing Twenty20 World Cup campaign in which they play Australia in the semi-finals in Dubai on Thursday.

Pakistan’s 18-man squad will fly from the United Arab Emirates to Bangladesh where they also play two Tests after the T20Is.

The selectors have brought back Iftikhar Ahmed in Hafeez’s place, who is also an off-spinning all-rounder, said a Pakistan Cricket Board release.

Ahmed has played 13 T20Is for Pakistan but was not selected for the World Cup.

The three T20Is will all be played in Dhaka on November 19, 20 and 22.

The two Tests will be in Chattogram (November 26-30) and in Dhaka (December 4-8). A squad for the Tests will be announced later.

Fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani and leg-spinner Usman Qadir — part of reserves in the T20 World Cup in the UAE — are part of the squad for the Bangladesh series.

Pakistan T20I squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shoaib Malik, Usman Qadir