Senior players Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to Pakistan’s squad for the T20I series against Australia this month as the national selectors announced the 16-member squad on Friday.
The duo were left out of the squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka earlier this month, where all-rounder Shadab Khan made a return.
He will be part of a strong spin-bowling contingent along with Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz and Usman Tariq, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement. statement Today.
The matches will take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on January 29, 31 and February 1 and will begin at 4 p.m. PKT.
The Pakistan team and player support staff are expected to meet in Lahore on January 24 and will begin their preparations for the series the next day, PCB said today.
Meanwhile, Australia are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on January 28 and will play only their second series in this format on Pakistani soil after a solitary T20I in April 2022, also at the Gaddafi Stadium.
A day earlier, Babar announced that he would miss the remainder of the Big Bash League in Australia as he had been recalled to Pakistan for a national team camp ahead of the T20I series.
Australia announced its 17-man squad earlier this week and rested five top players, including Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David and Nathan Ellis.
Pakistani team consisting of 16 members:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (week), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (week), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (week) and Usman Tariq
Player support staff:
Naveed Akram Cheema (team manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Hanif Malik (batting coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (performance analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmed (media manager), Lt. Col. (right) Usman Anwari (manager of security), Dr. Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Dr. Raheel Karim (psychiatrist) and Muhammad Ehsan (massager)
Series schedule: (All matches at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore)
1st T20I: Thursday January 29 — 4 p.m. PKT
2nd T20I: Saturday January 31 — 4 p.m. PKT
3rd T20I: Sunday, February 1 — 4 p.m. PKT
