LAHORE: Pakistan cricket selectors, headed by former Check batsman Haroon Rashid, on Saturday named star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi in a 16-member squad for a two-Check sequence to be performed in opposition to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka subsequent month. The nationwide outfit additionally consists of batsman Mohammad Huraira and all-rounder Aamer Jamal. It’s a maiden Check call-up for each of them. The selectors didn’t embody Shahnawaz Dahani, Zahid Mahmood and Kamran Ghulam who performed a two-match house sequence in opposition to New Zealand in December-January. Afridi, who’s at present on 99 Check wickets, final performed within the format in July 2022. That was additionally in opposition to Sri Lanka, in Galle, the place he sustained a knee harm. He made a comeback on the T20 World Cup in October however damage his knee once more within the closing. Earlier this yr, he captained Lahore Qalandars to their second successive PSL title. He additionally featured within the subsequent T20I and ODI sequence in opposition to New Zealand. “I’m very excited to be returning to the Pakistan Check facet after a yr,” Afridi stated yesterday. “I dearly missed Check cricket and it was robust for me to be away from this format. After lacking our complete house season due to the harm I suffered in Sri Lanka, I’m desirous to make an impactful comeback in the identical nation and full a century of wickets in Check cricket. I wish to thank my followers who’ve offered me assist in robust instances and I’m prepared for the challenges forward.”
Huraira, 21, has been rewarded for his performances within the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: he was the very best run-getter within the earlier two seasons. In 24 first-class video games, he has 2252 runs at a mean of 68.24, with a better of 311 off 343 balls. He was the second-youngest triple-centurion in Pakistan, behind Javed Miandad. Jamal made his Pakistan debut throughout the T20I sequence in opposition to England final yr. In his very first recreation, he impressed everybody by defending 14 runs within the final over in opposition to Moeen Ali and David Willey. He was additionally the main wicket-taker amongst quick bowlers within the 2022-23 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, taking 31 scalps at 29.71. Extra lately, he picked up 5 wickets in the one red-ball recreation he performed for Pakistan Shaheens in opposition to Zimbabwe Choose. He topped the charts within the white-ball sequence, with 16 strikes in six video games at an financial system of 6.33.
“The situations in Sri Lanka largely favour finger spinners — one thing that we’ve seen through the years and through Pakistan’s final go to to the island — so we’ve three such bowlers to go along with the thriller spin of Abrar Ahmed,” chief selector Haroon stated. “On the similar time, we can not overlook the necessity for quick bowlers and, as such, we’ve included 4 pacers so the captain and workforce administration have ample sources on the tour. We boast a powerful batting line-up, which I’m assured will do properly within the two matches. “The gamers who’ve missed out on the choice mustn’t get slowed down as they firmly stay a part of our plans. We’ve an thrilling and difficult season forward of us and they need to benefit from the alternatives in home cricket and Shaheens’ excursions to maintain themselves prepared.” This sequence can be Pakistan’s first task within the new World Check Championship cycle, which runs from 2023 to 2025. The squad will assemble in Karachi on July three for a camp earlier than departing for Sri Lanka on July 9. The itinerary of the tour has not been introduced but.
Pakistan Check squad: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-capt, wk), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood.
Participant assist personnel: Rehan-ul-Haq (workforce supervisor), Grant Bradburn (head coach), Andrew Puttick (batting coach), Morne Morkel (bowling coach), Aftab Khan (fielding coach), Abdul Rehman (assistant coach), Drikus Saaiman (power and conditioning coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (media and digital content material supervisor), Lt Col Usman Anwari (Retd) (safety supervisor), Talha Ejaz (analyst) and Malang Ali (masseur).