TANVIR HEADS TO NEW ZEALAND…

Pakistan's left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir will fly out to New Zealand later on Monday to join the team after regaining full match fitness, said chief selector Mohsin Khan.

The 26-year-old was initially named for the Twenty20 and Test squad to tour New Zealand but hurt his knee during a warm-up camp just two days before the team departed.

"He was withdrawn, but after regaining fitness we called him for a fitness test and after being declared fit he will be flying on Monday to join the team," Khan told.

Since his withdrawal, Tanvir has taken five wickets in both of his two domestic matches, proving his fitness to selectors.

Tanvir, who bowls an awkward wrong-foot action to surprise the batsman, burst onto the scene in 2007, replacing mercurial paceman Shoaib Akhtar in Pakistan's World Twenty20 squad.

The following year - only his second year at an international level - Tanvir bowled the Rajhastan Royals to the title in the inaugural Indian Premier League, finishing as the best bowler in the lucrative Twenty20 league.

Tanvir suffered back and knee problems, however, which stalled his international career.

Pakistan lost the first of three Twenty20 matches against New Zealand by five wickets on Sunday. The two teams also play two Tests and six one-day matches.

Pakistani selectors are due to announce a one-day squad for the New Zealand tour later this week.