Wellington, Dec 15 NZPA - Pakistani all-rounder Yasir Arafat has been named in the Otago team to play Auckland in their second-round one-day cricket match in Auckland on Thursday.

Arafat joins Otago after completing the test tour with Pakistan, bolstering the bowling ranks as well as providing strength to the middle order.

He will be available for the remainder of the one-day competition and the Twenty20 matches in January.

Black Caps Nathan McCullum and Aaron Redmond are still unavailable for Otago due to injury, while wicket-keeper batsman Brendon McCullum is taking a short break before the Twenty20 competition.

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