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Dumped Test batsman Ijaz Ahmed was back in the fray for the second half of the New Zealand tour as the Pakistan cricket selectors deferred the announcement of changes for the three-Test series by 24 hours.

Ijaz, who scored 0 and 1 in the opening round match of the Patron's Trophy for Habib Bank, flew off to Lahore after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took his travelling document for the completion of formalities.

The selectors were tight-lipped on the questionable recalling of Ijaz. Sources said the 32-year-old veteran was being seriously considered after Inzamam-ul-Haq was ruled out on Sunday for 10 days because of groin injury.

Ijaz last represented Pakistan in the tri-nation series in Singapore under the leadership of Waqar Younis before being shown the door. Since his ouster, the hard-hitting nervous starter has waged a war of words against team coach Javed Miandad rather than try to win back his place on merit. Breaching the code of conduct, Ijaz has repeatedly accused Miandad of promoting his nephew Faisal Iqbal who is not in the current team.

In a Quaid-i-Azam Trophy for Islamabad, Ijaz failed miserably in the first innings and didn't bat in the second.

The selectors' policy is nothing but mind-boggling since they strive for fresh blood. But now they are contemplating recalling a batsman who is neither fit nor in form.

It would be a pity if a prolific scorer like Misbah-ul-Haq fails to gain selection on merit. Misbah, it may be mentioned, scored 947 runs with four centuries in the recent Quaid-i-Azam Grade-I Trophy.

If Ijaz is picked, it would clearly prove one point: the cricket managers have been forced to press the panic button by New Zealand who were earlier predicted to be no match for the unpredictable Pakistanis.

With chairman of selectors Wasim Bari confirming Younis Khan as one of the changes, he said three players would be flown out for the three-Test series starting March 8 at Auckland.

"We are thinking to jet out a wicketkeeper to ease the pressure off Moin Khan," Bari said.

Initially, the selectors had decided to make two changes but agreed to send a wicketkeeper considering the length of the tour and the strain under which Moin Khan is.

Humayun Farhat has blossomed as one of the brightest wicketkeeper/batsman in the domestic circuit while making vital contributions with the bat and proving to have a safe pair of hands with the gloves.

Humayun, 20, scored a match-winning 63 in the second innings for Lahore Blues in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy final after Karachi Whites had set the them a victory target of 184. Humayun was the second leading run-getter with 877 runs besides accounting for 45 batsmen.

Bari admitted that an opener and an allrounder will return but added that the selectors will have to review the situation as now three changes were being made.

The third casualty after Shahid Afridi and Azhar Mahmood could be rookie opener Imran Farhat, Humayun's younger brother.

© Dawn