Rashid Names Rizwan As WK In His Pakistan Playing XI

Former Skipper Rashid Latif has named Mohammad Rizwan as the wicket-keeper in his probable Pakistan Playing XI for the first Test against England, starting from August 5 at Old Trafford, Manchester

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Jul, 2020 ) :Former Skipper Rashid Latif has named Mohammad Rizwan as the wicket-keeper in his probable Pakistan Playing XI for the first Test against England, starting from August 5 at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Pakistan was scheduled to take on England in three Tests and three Twenty20s, to be played from August 5 to September 1.

Rashid, who scored 1,381 runs in 37 Tests, said the Men in Green would rely on specialists rather than including an all-rounder in the playing XI.

"They will go with six batsmen, Rizwan as wicketkeeper, three fast-bowlers and Yasir Shah as spinner. Shan Masood can also bowl medium pace, so you can use him from 6 to 8 overs while spreading the field," Rashid said while speaking on his YouTube channel 'Caught Behind' as quoted by cricketpakistan.com.pk.

"Currently, we don't have an all-rounder that we can depend on," Rashid, who served as Pakistan captain in 2003, leading the country in 6 Tests and 25 ODIs said.

Rashid, who scored 1,709 runs in 166 ODIs, also included middle-order batsman Fawad Alam in the playing XI, who has more than 12,000 first class runs at an average of 56.78. Fawad's inclusion can bring an end to his decade-long Test cricket drought, as the middle-order batsman last represented Pakistan in the longest format in 2009.

Rashid, who played for Pakistan in Test cricket and ODIs, between 1992 and 2003 as a wicket keeper right-handed batsman, didn't pick Sohail Khan in his team, despite the veteran pacer impressing in the practice matches with two five-wicket hauls.

"Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Abbas will take new ball, while Naseem Shah will bowl with the old ball," he said.

Rashid Latif's playing XI for first Test includes Abid Ali, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (C), Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah.