In a surprising development, Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf are not part of Pakistan’s upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka. Pakistan announced the squad with several new faces on Sunday.
This series is Pakistan’s last T20I mission before the start of the T20 World Cup. Yet, some regular players are missing due to their Big Bash League commitments.
Uncapped Khawaja Nafay included, Shadab Khan returns
The PCB selectors have decided to give a chance to a mix of recurring names and emerging talents. One of the main talking points is the inclusion of uncapped keeper-batsman Khawaja Nafay, who earns his first call-up after consistent performances for Pakistan Shaheens. He has played in 32 T20s so far and has impressed with a strike rate of over 132.
All-rounder Shadab Khan returns to the T20I setup after being sidelined since June. After surgery and rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy, Shadab returned to competitive cricket.
Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the team. The Pakistani team will leave for Sri Lanka in the first week of January. The three matches of the series will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla on January 7, 9 and 11.
Final preparation
This series is important for Pakistan as it gives them one last chance to prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The tournament will take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, with Pakistan playing all their matches in Colombo. Pakistan are drawn in Group B, where they will face India, Namibia, Netherlands and the United States.
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq
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