Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan, naming Shadab Khan as the captain for the Sharjah tour.
Ahead of the team’s announcement, PCB chief Najam Sethi said that young players who had performed in the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2023) will be given the opportunity in the series and that he had taken the senior players Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afrdid into confidence over the strategy.
In a press statement issued separately, Najam Sethi congratulated Shadab Khan on his appointment as the Pakistan team captain for the series against Afghanistan.
“Shadab Khan has been the Pakistan vice-captain in white-ball cricket for the past couple of years and it is logical that he takes over the side in the absence of Babar Azam for the short three-match T20I tour of Sharjah.”
The PCB chief said that Mohammad Yousuf has been appointed as the interim head and batting coach for the short Sharjah tour and to “ensure continuity”.
Yousuf has been with the national side since last year as a batting coach and has also been working in the National High Performance Centre.
Sharing the reasons behind giving rest to the senior players, Chief Selector Haroon Rasheed said, they have followed the standard rotation policy by resting the leading performers and providing high-performing domestic performers with opportunities to demonstrate their talent and potential at the international level.
He added that this will also allow the board to test the temperament and abilities of these players and helping it to strengthen its pool of players as they look forward to building and preparing a formidable side for next year’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States.
Squad
Shadab Khan (captain) (Islamabad United), Abdullah Shafique (Lahore Qalandars), Azam Khan (Islamabad United), Faheem Ashraf (Islamabad United), Iftikhar Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators), Ihsanullah (Multan Sultans), Imad Wasim (Karachi Kings), Mohammad Haris (Peshawar Zalmi), Mohammad Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators), Mohammad Wasim Junior (Islamabad United), Naseem Shah (Quetta Gladiators), Saim Ayub (Peshawar Zalmi), Shan Masood (Multan Sultans), Tayyab Tahir (Karachi Kings), Zaman Khan (Lahore Qalandars)
Reserve players – Abrar Ahmed (Islamabad United), Haseebullah (Peshawar Zalmi) and Usama Mir (Multan Sultans)