Pakistan Have Shortlisted 19-year-Olds Naseem Shah And Haider Ali:
Pakistan has picked 19-year-old Naseem Shah and Haider Ali from 17 players for the upcoming T20I series against England. Veterans Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz, all of whom are now part of the British bio-bubble, have also been named.
Pakistan squad for England T20Is: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz.
Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmad returns to the T20I fold along with powerful opener Fakhar Zaman, but Shan Masood, who was in the Pakistan Super League earlier this year, couldn’t make the cut.
“This is much the same team that has appeared in the shortest format for us,” said Pakistan Head Coach and Chief Selector Misbah-ul-Haq. “In addition to retaining the heart, we have inducted youngsters like Haider Ali, who performed well in HBL PSL, U19 and first-class cricket, and Naseem Shah as we had the opportunity to hold a larger pool due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which also increases our choices.
“Our two seasoned bowlers in Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz have also come back to the team, along with Fakhar Zaman and Sarfaraz Ahmed.”Pakistan lost eight of its ten games towards the end of last year, when the twin victories over Bangladesh earlier this year set the record straight.
“Normally, the T20I team comes together for a short time, but due to the current situation, most of the players have been with us for more than a month and have provided us with a good opportunity to focus on the growth of the team and the young players,” Misbah said. “Hopefully, even players who may not have a chance to play will benefit from the exposure they ‘re having here. It’s going to be a tough series because England is a strong team. We ‘re looking forward to playing good cricket and winning the game.”
