LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced a 19-member squad of Pakistan Shaheens with left-handed batter Saud Shakeel as captain for the Sri Lanka tour, which will comprise two four-day fixtures and three 50-over matches.
Saud played in three One-Day Internationals against England earlier this summer, while other internationals named in the 19-player squad include Abdullah Shafique, Arshad Iqbal, Haider Ali, Naseem Shah, Usman Salahuddin and Zahid Mahmood.
To maintain consistency in selection, the selectors have also retained players who have recently been part of the national side but have been unable to break into the playing line-up. These include Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Haris.
With an eye on next year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 in the West Indies, the selectors have included in the squad Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s teenage wicketkeeper Salman Khan and top-order batter Qasim Akram of Central Punjab.
Opportunities have also been awarded to exciting talents, such as Sindh’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Irfanullah Shah and left-arm fast bowler Akif Javed, who is returning after missing the last season due to an injury.
Chief selector Muhammad Wasim said, “The objective and purpose of such tours is to reward, encourage, motivate and prepare high-performing cricketers for future challenges, while also developing and strengthening our bench-strength.
Pakistan Shaheens squad:
- Saud Shakeel (captain) (both formats)
- Haider Ali (both formats)
- Abbas Afridi (50-over)
- Abdullah Shafique (both formats)
- Abrar Ahmed (both formats)
- Ahmed Safi Abdullah (four-day)
- Akif Javed (50-over)
- Arshad Iqbal (both formats)
- Irfanullah Shah (both formats)
- Kamran Ghulam (both formats)
- Khurram Shahzad (both formats)
- Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper) (both formats)
- Naseem Shah (both formats)
- Omair Bin Yousuf (four-day)
- Qasim Akram (both formats)
- Salman Ali Agha (both formats)
- Salman Khan (wicketkeeper) (both formats)
- Usman Salahuddin (four-day)
- Zahid Mahmood (both formats)
Tour schedule:
21 Oct – departure for Kandy
28-31 Oct – 1st four-day match, Kandy
4-7 Nov – 2nd four-day match, Kandy
10 Nov – 1st 50-over match, Colombo
12 Nov – 2nd 50-over match, Colombo
14 Nov – 3rd 50-over match, Colombo
