Pakistan's Inzamam says no to first SAfrica test

KARACHI, Sep 28 (Reuters) Pakistan's former captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq has turned down an opportunity to play the first test against South Africa in Karachi starting next Monday, Pakistan's chief selector said today.

''I spoke to him and asked him about his availability. But he said not to consider him for personal reasons. He will obviously be considered if wants to play in the second match,'' Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters.

Inzamam, 38, stepped down as captain and retired from one-day internationals after his team's first round exit from the 50-overs World Cup in the West Indies in March.

But he has said he wants to continue playing test cricket and needs 21 more runs to overtake former captain Javed Miandad, who totalled 8,832, as his country's highest test scorer.

Selectors have rewarded batsman Misbah-ul-Haq for his performances in the Twenty20 World Cup by recalling after four years to the test side.

Misbah, 33, last played a test against Bangladesh in Karachi in August, 2003 but was the highest scorer in the Twenty20 tournament in South Africa.

Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistan's third highest test scorer with 6,553, is also selected after being dropped for the tournament.

The second test starts in Lahore on Oct. 8 and will be followed by five one-day internationals.

Pakistan squad: Shoaib Malik (Capt), Salman Butt, Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Faisal Iqbal, Yasir Hameed, Danish Kaneria, Abdul Rehman, Rao Iftikhar.

REUTERS TB AS1758