'Bold' Pakistan call up rookie speedsters Naseem Shah and Musa Khan for Australia tour

Head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq backs 'bold decision' to go with teenage bowlers for two-Test series

Pakistan cricket head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq addresses a press conference in Lahore to announce the Test and T20 squads to tour Australia in November. AFP

Pakistan have opted for youth for their two-Test series of Australia next month with two of the quickest bowlers in the country named in a 16-man squad announced on Monday.

Naseem Shah, 16, and 17-year-old Musa Khan were named alongside fellow teenager Shah Afridi in a potent bowling attack that also includes Mohammad Abbas and Imran Khan.

"There is a need to play a different type of cricket, the balance of the squads is reflective of us having options to play aggressive, attacking cricket," head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq said.

"Yes it's a brave and bold decision to select the likes of Musa and Naseem, but we know that their fresh and attacking approach will give us something different.

"I am pretty sure these two lads will surprise a lot of people with their pace, controlled swing and ability to bowl long spells at a consistent speed."

Batsman Azhar Ali will lead the squad after Sarfaraz Ahmed was last week stripped of the captaincy of the Test and Twenty20 teams over "poor performance".

He also loses his wicketkeeper spot, with Mohammad Rizwan handed the gloves.

Pakistan will play two Tests with the first at the Gabba in Brisbane from November 21 and the second game a day-nighter at the Adelaide Oval from November 29.

Pakistan's youth policy was also reflected in the omission of former captains Shoaib Malik and Mohammed Hafeez from the Twenty20 squad for the three-match series that precedes the Tests.

The uncapped players in the Twenty20 squad include Usman Qadir, a leg-spinner like his father, Abdul.