Pakistan has dropped pace bowler Sohail Tanvir and allrounder Shahid Afridi for the first Test against Sri Lanka starting on Saturday. The selectors have called up uncapped youngsters Mohammad Talha and Ahmed Shahzad to the 15-man squad. Chief selector Abdul Qadir told a news conference fast bowler Talha and opener Shahzad had a good chance of playing in the test after performing well at domestic level. Shahzad scored a hundred against Sri Lanka on Friday in a two-day warm-up match before retiring hurt. Pakistan has also recalled left handed batsman Asim Kamal who last played a test against England in 2005. The selectors also kept faith with Shoaib Malik, who was replaced as captain by Younis Khan last month after a one-day home series loss to Sri Lanka. The second Test in the two-test series starts on Sunday March 1 in Lahore. Squad: Younis Khan (captain), Misbahul Haq, Salman Butt, Khurrum Manzoor, Ahmed Shahzad, Faisal Iqbal, Shoaib Malik, Asim Kamal, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Sohail Khan, Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Yasir Arafat. Sangakkara hits ton Kumar Sangakkara hit a fighting hundred but could not prevent Sri Lanka from losing the two-day tour match by 112 runs against Patron's XI on Wednesday. The attractive left-handed batsman scored 100 off 176 balls before retiring hurt as the tourists managed 283-5 in their allotted 90 overs, losing the match on the first-innings basis at the Defense Stadium. The Patron's XI scored 395-4 in its stipulated 90 overs with centuries from Ahmed Shahzad and Azhar Ali on Tuesday. Sangakkara hit 10 boundaries and was associated in an innings-building 112-run third wicket stand with skipper Mahela Jayawardene who made 49. Sri Lanka had lost openers Malinda Warnapura (nought) and Tharanga Paranavitana (five) with the total on 26. Jayawardene hit four boundaries and two sixes before he fell to leg-spinner Yasir Shah. Thilan Samaraweera chipped in with 46. Brief scores: Patron's XI 394-5 in 90 overs (Ahmed Shahzad 146, Azhar Ali 100; C. Vaas 1-27) Sri Lanka 283-5 in 90 overs (K. Sangakkara 100 retired hurt, M. Jayawardene 49).
