Islamabad: Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz said on Monday he has agreed to return to test cricket if required for a series in England.
he 34-year-old Riaz has taken 83 wickets in just 27 test matches since making his debut in 2010. He was among 29 players named for the three tests and three Twenty20s in August and September after the Pakistan Cricket Board decided to send an extended squad in case a player is ruled out due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board communicated with me to play test cricket (in England), if required, and to play for Pakistan is always a priority so I said yes without even thinking,” Riaz told reporters during a video teleconference organized by the PCB.
Riaz took an indefinite break from test cricket last year just before Pakistan toured Australia.
Mohammad Amir, another left-arm quick bowler, also quit before that tour and the pair’s absence didn’t go over well with head coach Misbah-ul-Haq or fast-bowling coach Waqar Younis.
But Riaz defended his decision because he had played just four test matches in three years despite being a regular member of Pakistan ODI and Twenty20 teams.
