WELLINGTON (New Zealand): New Zealand hopes for the three-Test series against Pakistan have been boosted by the news that captain Daniel Vettori has been cleared of injury fears.

Vettori suffered a mild concussion in the one-day series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and did not go on to play in the two Twenty/20 matches in Dubai.

He is feeling significantly better and will be available to play in the first Test starting on 24 November, New Zealand Cricket said in a statement.

Vettori also has a shoulder injury and was examined Monday by a specialist, who found some structural damage, although it was not expected to affect his ability to bowl.

Pakistan\'s 17-man squad arrived here on Monday before heading to Queenstown on Tuesday for a three-day game against a New Zealand Invitation 11 starting on Wednesday.

Squads:

Pakistan (from): Mohammad Yousuf (captain) Salman Butt, Khurrum Manzoor, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik, Fawad Alam, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Danish Kaneria, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir, Abdur Rauf, Umer Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmad.

New Zealand Invitation 11: Grant Elliott (captain), Craig Cumming, Tim McIntosh, BJ Watling, Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Reece Young, Tim Southee, Daryl Tuffey, Tarun Nethula, Iain O\'Brien, Brent Arnel