Delay Expected in Announcement of Pakistan’s Squad for T20I Series Against New Zealand
According to insider sources, the Pakistan squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand might not be revealed until April 8, as selectors are scheduled to convene for another meeting on the upcoming Sunday.
Initially slated for unveiling this week, the squad announcement has been postponed.
The selectors have concluded discussions on potential players for the series with skipper Babar Azam in Kakul and have now returned to Lahore. The team is presently participating in a fitness camp led by the Pakistan Army.
Previously mentioned individuals in contention for the five-match series include Babar, Saim Ayub, Muhammad Rizwan, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Imad Waseem, Muhammad Amir, Zaman Khan, Usman Khan, Wasim Jr, Irfan Niazi, and Abbas Afridi. Fakhar Zaman’s availability remains subject to assessment due to a hand injury.
Moreover, there are hints that key pacer Shaheen may sit out parts of the series in adherence to the cricket board’s workload management strategy.
Schedule:
The series against New Zealand will commence with three T20Is at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on April 18, 20, and 21. Following this, both teams will shift to Lahore for the final two T20Is on April 25 and 27, respectively.