Nine rookies in Pakistan squad for South Africa series
Pakistan have included nine uncapped players in their 20-man squad for the two-Tests against South Africa, starting on January 26.
The players will be required to enter the bio-bubble on January 19 after which the squad will be reduced to 16 players.
The new players who have been rewarded for some fine performances domestically are openers Abdullah Shafique and Imran Butt, middle-order batsmen Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel, spinners Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan, and fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Tabish Khan.
Making his return to the side after a two-year absence is Hasan Ali, after a successful Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, including 43 wickets and 273 runs. The most recent of his nine Tests was against South Africa, in Johannesburg, in Pakistan’s most recent tour to the country.
Mohammad Nawaz’s 22 wickets and 744 runs in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy also earned him a recall, having last played against West Indies in Sharjah in 2016.
New Zealand underperformers dropped
Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas, Shan Masood and Zafar Gohar, who played in the last Test against New Zealand, in Christchurch, have been left out.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah was left out whilst he is nursing a niggling hamstring injury.
The 20-player squad is:
Openers – Abid Ali (Central Punjab), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab) and Imran Butt (Balochistan)
Middle-order batsmen – Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab) and Saud Shakeel (Sindh)
All-rounders – Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab) and Mohammad Nawaz (Northern)
Wicketkeepers – Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh)
Spinners – Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan)
Fast bowlers – Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Tabish Khan (Sindh)
Latest
-
News
It’s a lot of fun – Heather Knight still enjoying captaining England
Knight succeeded Charlotte Edwards, who had a decade-long stint in the position, in June 2016.
-
England
On this day in 2018: Kevin Pietersen retires from professional cricket
The latter years of the Pietermaritzburg-born maverick’s career were spent on the T20 circuit.
-
England
Jofra Archer snaps off stump on impressive return from injury in India
The 28-year-old took two for 22 in seven overs.
-
County Cricket
Darren Gough steps down as managing director of cricket at Yorkshire
Gough said it was the “right time” to move on having been in the post since December 2021.
-
England
On this day in 2004: Steve Harmison takes seven for 12 against West Indies
The pace bowler produced a devastating spell at Sabina Park 20 years ago.
-
England
Jos Buttler feels refreshed and ready to enjoy ‘best years’ of his career
England’s white-ball team endured a poor 2023 which culminated in the disastrous defence of their World Cup crown in India.
-
England
Jos Buttler confident ‘special cricketer’ Jofra Archer will be fit for World Cup
Archer has not represented his country since last March when he featured in a T20 match in Bangladesh.
-
Indian Premier League
England batter Harry Brook withdraws from IPL following death of his grandmother
Brook pulled out of England’s five-Test tour to India before the squad flew out from their training camp in the United Arab Emirates.