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Pakistan's national selection committee axed flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi and pacer Sohail Tanvir from the 15-man squad.

Afridi and Tanvir were axed from the first Test squad against Sri Lanka, as the selectors preferred to give rookie players Ahmed Shahzad and Mohammad Talha a chance.

Tanvir's omission a surprise

The decision to drop Afridi from the squad was hardly a surprise considering that he has struggled for form in recent months despite being a regular member of the one-day squad.

But the decision to sideline left-arm pacer Tanvir comes as a surprise as after a poor one-day series against Sri Lanka, he bounced back well in domestic cricket.

The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka would be played from Saturday at the National Stadium.

Chief selector Abdul Qadir said the decision to drop Afridi did not mean he was completely out of contention for the series.