Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan on Wednesday announced its 16-player squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League fixtures against the Netherlands from 16-21 August and a 15-member side for the ACC T20 Asia Cup, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates from 27 August to 11 September.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been named in both the squads in place of Hasan Ali, while Salman Ali Agha, who toured England in 2021 for the ODIs, has been recalled. Shaheen Shah Afridi has been retained in the ODI and T20I squads, and his rehabilitation programme will be overseen by the team trainer and physiotherapist, who will also decide on his return to international cricket.

There will be five changes from the Netherlands ODI squad to the ACC T20 Asia Cup side. Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood will be replaced by Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed and Usman Qadir.

Pakistan squad for Netherlands ODIs: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern), Abdullah Shafique (Balochistan), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haris Rauf (Northern), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Khushdil Shah (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Haris (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Zahid Mehmood (Sindh)

Pakistan squad for ACC T20 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern), Asif Ali (Northern), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern), Iftikhar Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Khushdil Shah (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab)

Chief Selector Muhammad Wasim while addressing a news conference said: “We have only made changes that were necessary. Both the competitions are important for us and, as such, we have picked our best available players in consultation with the captain and head coach.”

He said Hasan has been given a break from international cricket and he has been replaced by Naseem Shah. “He is express fast and can give further impetus to the fast bowling department, which already boasts Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shahnawaz Dahani. Naseem has not played any international white-ball cricket, but he has demonstrated with the red-ball that he is an attacking option with good pace and controlled swing,” the chief selector said.

“Salman Ali Agha has been recalled to the ODI side after he performed well in the past two Pakistan Cup tournaments, averaging 40.33 and 48.8, respectively. He also gives Babar Azam an additional bowling option.”

The training camp for the players will be held in Lahore from 6-11 August, during which they will also play two 50-over matches. The side will depart for Amsterdam in the wee hours of Friday, 12 August. T20I players will join the squad in Dubai for the ACC T20 Asia Cup on 22 August.