Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan cricket selectors, headed by former Test batsman, Muhammad Wasim, on Friday, with three changes, recalled former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed to the World Cup squad. The 34-year-old Sarfaraz was not in the 15-man squad announced last month but all 16 teams competing in the event had October 10 as the deadline to make any changes. The Twenty20 World Cup starts in Oman and the United Arab Emirates from October 17. Sarfaraz has replaced Azam Khan. In the other two changes, Haider Ali has replaced Mohammad Hasnain, while Fakhar Zaman, who was originally named as a travel reserve, has swapped places with Khushdil Shah. Haider, dropped from the initial squad after violating a bio-secure bubble in the Pakistan Super League in the UAE in June, has amassed 315 runs in eight games with three fifties in the National T20 Cup. Meanwhile, the decision on Sohaib Maqsood’s inclusion in the squad will be made following medical advice. The top-order batter underwent MRI scans for his lower back after the October 6 National T20 match against Northern and missed Thursday’s Punjab derby against Central Punjab.

Pakistan’s chief selector Wasim said changes were made after taking into account performances in the ongoing National Twenty20 Cup. “After reviewing player performances and in consultation with the team management, we have decided to include Haider, Fakhar and Sarfaraz in the squad for the T20 World Cup 2021,” Wasim said in a statement. Pakistan are in Group 2 of the Super 12 stages of the World Cup and play their opening match against archrivals India in Dubai on October 24. The squad announced by chief selector Wasim on September 6 had raised eyebrows after a number of experienced campaigners were left out and some inexperienced and out-of-form players were picked for the tournament. At least five among the 15-man national side were struggling to justify their selection during the 18-match first leg of the National T20 Cup.

Pakistan’s 15-player squad (in alphabetical order):

Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain, Northern), Asif Ali (Northern), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imad Wasim (Northern), Mohammad Hafeez (Central Punjab), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper, Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Sohaib Maqsood (Southern Punjab).

Reserves: Khushdil Shah (Southern Punjab), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab).

Player support personnel: Mansoor Rana (manager), Saqlain Mushtaq (interim head coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant head coach), Matthew Hayden (batting consultant), Vernon Philander (bowling consultant), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Talha Ejaz (team analyst), Col (retd) Muhammad Imran (security manager), Ibrahim Badees (media and digital manager), Dr Najeeb Soomro (team doctor) and Malang Ali (masseur).

Schedule of Pakistan’s matches in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 (all matches to start at 1900 Pakistan time):

Oct 24- Pakistan v India, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Oct 26- Pakistan v New Zealand, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

Oct 29- Pakistan v Afghanistan, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Nov 2- Pakistan v A2, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium, Abdu Dhabi

Nov 7-Pakistan v B1, ICC T20 WC (Group 2), Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah.