RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 16-player squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. The matches will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
As per the details, the PCB said on Wednesday that the schedule of the series will be shared later.
Salman Ali Agha has been named as captain, while Shadab Khan will be the vice-captain. The squad was selected based on performances in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10, which will end on May 25.
This will be the first series under the new head coach, Mike Hesson. Some experienced players have returned to the team, including Hasan Ali, Fakhar Zaman, and Saim Ayub. Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, and wicketkeeper-batter Sahibzada Farhan have also been called back. Fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Naseem Shah have been included again in the national team.
–ALSO READ–
Pakistan’s per capita income rises to $1,824 amid modest GDP growth
However, some well-known players have not been selected. Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who played in the recent T20I series in New Zealand, is not part of this squad. Former captain Babar Azam and senior wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan have also not been included.
Other players who have been left out are Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Umair bin Yousuf, Sufyan Muqeem, and Usman Khan.
Pakistan Squad:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), and Saim Ayub.
Media reports said that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the tour after successful discussions between officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and BCB in Dubai.
The short tour will include only three T20 International (T20I) matches. The Pakistan Cricket Board has officially confirmed the match schedule.
Earlier, Bangladesh was expected to play five T20Is in Pakistan, with the series planned to start on May 25 in Faisalabad.
However, the number of matches has now been reduced to three. All matches will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The updated schedule will be shared in the coming days.
