Youth-loaded Pakistan’s 17-member New Zealand Bound T20I Squad Announced

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced a 17-member T20I squad for a five-match rubber against New Zealand in January 2024 and the squad is loaded with youthful exuberance with three cricketers getting maiden call-ups

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Dec, 2023) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced a 17-member T20I squad for a five-match rubber against New Zealand in January 2024 and the squad is loaded with youthful exuberance with three cricketers getting maiden call-ups.

Nine out of the seventeen member squad are the players who have played less than 10 or no T20Is for the country including Saim Ayub, Zaman Khan, Sahibzada Farhan, Azam Khan, Aamer Jamal, Usama Mir, Haseebullah, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Abbas Afridi. Usama Mir, Mohammad Abbas Afridi and Haseebullah have got maiden call-up while uncapped Abrar Ahmed is yet to play for the Pakistan team.

Considering the conditions in New Zealand, Pakistan has picked a six-pronged pace machine in Shaheen Shah Afridi, Harid Rauf, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Mohammad Abbas Afridi and Aamer Jamal.

Pakistan’s pace ace Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the T20 team for the first time in the series which will take place from January 12 to 21, 2024 at four venues Auckland, Hamilton, Dunedin and Christchurch. The New Zealand tour is part of Pakistan’s preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and Crribean.

Flanked by Consultant Kamran Akmal, the National Men’s Selection Committee Chief Selector Wahab Riaz told the media during a press conference at the PCB headquarters Gaddafi Stadium that the players have been picked in the squad on their domestic performances, adding that Right-arm pacer Mohammad Abbas Afridi, wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah and leg-spinner Usama Mir have earned their maiden call-ups to the T20I team following their commendable run during the domestic season. He said Sahibzada Farhan, who made his T20I debut for Pakistan in 2018, has also been picked after he impressed with the bat in the National T20 Cup 2023-24.

Wahab said that Shadab Khan is nursing an ankle injury sustained during the National T20 Cup 2023 and his absence will be missed during the series, adding that Naseem Shah and Muhammad Hasnain are going through rehabilitation at the NCA and have not been considered for the series. However, he said that all three players will be seen in action during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024.

On fast-bowler Ihsanullah, the Chief Selector said the young pace bowler will take a little longer to recover from his injury.

He said that test team captain Shan Masood and wicket-keeper Mohammad Haris have been rested and not picked for the New Zealand tour. “We are well aware of Haris’ capabilities and he is part of our plans going forward. Shan Masood is also part of our plans and he has been rested for this series. We will call him up if we require him to fill any gaps in the team,” Wahab added.

To a query, Wahab Riaz said the young players have been picked to prepare back-up for the team in case some players are injured, adding that the team was under pressure during the absence of Naseem Shah in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup in India.

On exposing young players to foreign conditions like New Zealand, he said, “International cricket is not easy for anyone in any conditions and domestic performances must be given a chance. If these players fail to perform well in New Zealand, it does not mean they will written-off.

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To a similar query, he said the selection committee has not written off Shoaib Malik or Ahmed Shahzad, adding that they may perform well at the PSL and may be considered for selection.

“The purpose is to play young players around Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf so that these young players may be groomed for the future,” he responded, and, when asked playing Sahibzada Farhan as opener, added the players had to adapt to the needs of the team and switch places. He said there are examples where top-order international cricketers like Livingston or Phil Salt played in the middle order for the English team. He said similarly if a young player is provided a chance in place of a senior player it does not threaten the latter’s spot in the team, adding that Mitchell March did well as an opener for Australia in the ODI World Cup but he relinquished the place as soon as Travis Head came back.

When asked, the former fast bowler said Pakistan middle-order did not do well in the past and it had become obligatory to prepare a strong middle-order back-up for the team in future, adding that Muhammad Nawaz needs to be consistent going forward. He said all-rounder Muhammad Nawaz has done well for the team in the past and needs to put up strong performance considering his experience.

On Azam Khan’s selection and fitness, Wahab said sometimes one had to prefer skill to fitness, adding that he had spoken to Azam Khan to work on his fitness if he wants to remain part of the team in future. He said the PCB had tried many players at 6 unsuccessfully in the past and Azam Khan has been given a chance to make the spot his own.

About Shaheen Afridi, the Selection Committee Head was the opinion that Shaheen Shah Afridi’s performance can not be judged on one or last five matches, adding that cricket is a game where 'we don't perform every day'. "Shaheen is a sensible player and hungry for wickets and he will come back strong," Wahab said.

On Kamran Ghulam, he said Kamran Ghulam is not suited to the T20 cricket yet but he is part of PCB’s future plans, adding that nine top performers from the domestic cricket have been invited to the training camp for New Zealand tour alongside the selected players including Mohammad Haris, Arif Yaqoob, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Amir Khan, Sajjad Ali Jnr, Shahab Khan, Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Ghulam and Omair Bin Yousuf.

The training camp will take place from 28th December 2023 to 3rd January 2024 in Lahore.

New Zealand bound squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wicket-keeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wicket-keeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan.

Full schedule:

1st T20 – 12 January 2024 at Eden Park, Auckland

2nd T20 – 14 January 2024 at Seddon Park, Hamilton

3rd T20 – 17 January 2024 at University Oval, Dunedin

4th T20 – 19 January 2024 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch

5th T20 – 21 January 2024 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch