The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled the squad for the upcoming five-game T20I series against New Zealand, beginning on April 18th in Rawalpindi. The 17-man squad has three uncapped players alongside five travelling reserves. Additionally, the think tank has also recalled Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim after they decided to come out of retirement.
The three uncapped players in the squad are Usman Khan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Abrar Ahmed. Usman Khan was the second-highest run-getter in PSL 9, slamming two centuries in his aggregate of 430 runs. Irfan Khan struck at 140.16 for the Karachi Kings and averaged 42.75 in 9 matches.
Abrar, the leggie, was part of the Quetta Gladiators in PSL 9 and picked up 16 scalps in 10 matches at 19.56 apiece. Imad was instrumental in Islamabad United's PSL 9 win this year, snaring 12 wickets in as many matches, including a fifer and scoring some crucial runs down the order. Amir plied his trade for the Quetta Gladiators and took 10 scalps in 9 games.
Pakistan squad to face New Zealand:
Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, and Zaman Khan.
Non-travelling reserves: Haseebullah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, and Salman Ali Agha.
"Both Amir and Imad possess undeniable match-winning capabilities" - Wahab Riaz
Senior team manager Wahab Riaz believes Haris Rauf's injury and Mohammad Nawaz's struggles meant they had to recall the pair. He said, as quoted by the official website:
"The decision to include Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir was a straightforward one, given their availability for selection and considering Haris Rauf's injury and Mohammad Nawaz's current form. Both Amir and Imad possess undeniable match-winning capabilities, and we trust they will consistently deliver strong performances to bolster the team's objectives."
Rawalpindi will host the first three T20Is, while Lahore will host the remaining two.
