Lahore [Pakistan], May 23 (ANI): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced the squad for the three-match ODI series against West Indies, scheduled to start on June 8.
The ODI series will be part of the ICC World Cup Super League, which will determine the qualification for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Babar Azam will continue to lead the side, while Shadab Khan, who missed the Australia ODIs due to an injury, has returned as vice-captain.
The squad will assemble in Rawalpindi on June 1 for a training camp and Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan, who are presently playing in the English County Championship, will join the squad in time for the practice sessions.
Chief Selector Muhammad Wasim said they retained the same core of players so they further establish themselves in the format.
“As the ODIs against the West Indies are part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification, we have decided to give best chance to our side to collect maximum points and strengthen our chances of progressing directly for the pinnacle 50-over tournament. We have retained the same core of players so they further establish themselves in the format. I hope this bunch will continue the form they gained from the Australia series,” he said, according to a statement released by PCB.
“Also, and taking into consideration that there will be no Managed Event Environment and the players can be called at a short notice, we have reduced the squad size to 16 players. For the Australia ODIs, we had also announced backup players as cover to those players who were carrying injuries. Players such as Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan are now fully fit, which has allowed us to leave out Asif Afridi and Usman Qadir,” he added.
He said Usman along with Asif Ali and Haider Ali remain in the team’s plans for the shortest format. “We have a series of T20I lined up this year, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022,” Wasim said.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood. (ANI)
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