The Pakistan Cricket Board unveiled its 18-player lineup for the imminent T20I series against Ireland and England on Thursday.
Following the initial series against Ireland from May 10 to 14, Pakistan’s T20Is against England will run from May 22 to 30. The team will trim down to 15 players for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 after the first T20I in Leeds on May 22, as mandated by the ICC’s deadline of May 24.
The men’s national selection committee has reintroduced fast bowler Haris Rauf and all-rounders Hasan Ali and Salman Ali Agha to the squad. Notably absent from the 17-player squad that faced New Zealand are wrist spinner Usama Mir and fast bowler Zaman Khan.
The squad includes Babar Azam as captain, along with players such as Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, and others. Haris Rauf and wicketkeeper/batsman Azam Khan were sidelined for the New Zealand T20Is due to injuries, while Mohammad Irfan Khan and wicketkeeper/batsman Mohammad Rizwan were rested from the Lahore T20Is due to minor issues.
Hasan Ali’s selection is attributed to his extensive experience, having featured in 50 T20Is and excelled in bilateral series and ICC Events.
Crafting the squad was described as a challenging task due to the abundance of talent available. The statement emphasized the need for disappointed players like Usama and Zaman to focus on their cricket for future opportunities.
The team will embark on their journey to Dublin on May 7 after a three-day training camp in Lahore from May 4 to 6.
The schedule of matches is as follows:
- May 10: vs. Ireland, 1st T20I, Dublin
- May 12: vs. Ireland, 2nd T20I, Dublin
- May 14: vs. Ireland, 3rd T20I, Dublin
- May 22: vs. England, 1st T20I, Leeds
- May 25: vs. England, 2nd T20I, Birmingham
- May 28: vs. England, 3rd T20I, Cardiff
- May 30: vs. England, 4th T20I, The Oval
