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Dubai - Pakistan's hopes of defeating Australia in their limited overs series received a major jolt on Saturday when spinner and allrounder Mohammad Hafeez was ruled out with injury.
The 33-year-old split a left-hand webbing during fielding in a practice match in Sharjah on Friday.
Pakistan chief selector Moin Khan said Hafeez's loss was a big blow, just a day before the lone Twenty20 in Dubai on Sunday.
"Hafeez is an important player for us in Twenty20 and one-days," Moin said. "He injured his webbing and has been advised to take a two week rest."
The Twentyw20 match is followed by three one-day internationals in Sharjah (October 7), Dubai (October 10) and Abu Dhabi (October 12).
"The physio's report suggested a minimum two weeks rest, which ruled him out of the limited-overs part of the series against Australia.
"The team management had thus unanimously decided that there was no point in retaining him on the tour."
The one-dayers will be followed by a three-match Test series for which a squad has yet to be announced.
Khan said Under-19 captain and opener Sami Aslam and left-arm slow bowler Zulfiqar Babar will be included for the limited over series.
Hafeez has so far played 149 one-dayers and 58 Twenty20 internationals, having taken 122 and 45 wickets in these formats respectively.
He has also scored 4 338 one-day and 1 305 runs in Twenty20 cricket.
