Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday announced a 15-member squad for thefirst T20I against New Zealand tomorrow.
Led by Shadab Khan, the team includes Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf,Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, KhushdilShah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Wahab Riaz.
Skipper Shadab said a 17-member squad has been allowed due to thecoronavirus pandemic. “Musa Khan and Usman Qadir may be included if needbe.”
The pacer was picked as captain after Babar Azam who was ruled out of theNew Zealand T20Is after suffering a fracture in his right thumb duringSunday morning’s practice session.
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“It is an honour for me to lead the Pakistan team for the first time,”Shadab Khan said, adding that he will “definitely miss Azam”.
“Babar Azam’s absence is the best opportunity for new players to showcasetheir talents,” Shadab Khan said. “The team should be ready to show anaggressive performance like Babar Azam.”
