Pakistan skipper Shadab Khan vowed his new-look facet will put up combat in opposition to a formidable Afghanistan facet within the three-match Twenty20 International sequence beginning in Sharjah on Friday.
Shadab changed Babar Azam for the sequence as Pakistan determined to relaxation its common skipper together with seniors Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.
Instead, Pakistan have drafted in high performers from its home T20 league — the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
“It is a great honour for me to be leading Pakistan,” Shadab mentioned on Thursday. “As a player this is the highest you can go in your career.
“I am very excited for the upcoming three T20Is. We have a brilliant mix of youth and experience, which makes us a well-balanced side, and we have what it takes to win this series.”
Shadab beforehand led Pakistan in a three-match T20I sequence in New Zealand when Azam was injured, dropping 2-1.
Batters Saim Ayub and Tayyab Tahir, and quick bowlers Ihsanullah and Zaman Khan are all uncapped whereas Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Azam Khan and Abdullah Shafique have earned remembers.
Afghanistan has additionally recalled former skipper Mohammad Nabi after leaving him out of the three-match T20 sequence in opposition to United Arab Emirates that it received 2-1 final month.
Wily leg-spinner Rashid Khan will lead the Afghanistan facet, having changed Nabi final yr.
Shadab mentioned Afghanistan was a harmful facet “and they have some good T20 players in their side but I am very confident with the players that I have in my squad.”
Pakistan has overwhelmed Afghanistan in all three earlier T20Is — a one-off match in 2013 in Sharjah, T20 World Cup 2021 and Asia Cup final yr.
Pakistan agreed to play the sequence, the primary bilateral between the 2 international locations, instead of three one-day internationals that Afghanistan have been speculated to play in opposition to Australia this month.
Cricket Australia pulled out of that sequence following an announcement from Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban that it was banning college training for women and never forming a girls’s cricket group.
Afghanistan Cricket Board chief govt Khan hoped followers will get pleasure from sequence.
“Both nations have passionate fans who support their teams with enthusiasm and pride,” mentioned Naseeb.
“As neighbours, we have a special bond and we hope to showcase not only our cricketing skills but also the spirit of friendship and sportsmanship.”
Squads:
Pakistan: Shadab Khan (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Zaman Khan
Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Sediqullah Atal, Najibullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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