Faisalabad: Pakistan cricket selectors have recalled star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the first Test against England to be played in Multan from October 711. The selectors on Tuesday announced a 15man squad in which leftarm spinner Noman Ali has been included in place of injured Khurram Shahzad.
Afridi was dropped from the team after the first Test against Bangladesh. The leftarm pacer was considered one of the reasons for Pakistan's defeat in the opening Test as the four fast bowlers selected failed to make an impact.
“Following the announcement of the squad and based on the recommendation of head coach Jason Gillespie, the selected players have been dropped from the Champions OneDay Cup playoffs to allow them some rest ahead of the series. The squad will assemble in Multan on September 30 and the training camp will begin from October 1,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a release on Tuesday.
Leftarm spinner Noman Ali, who has taken 47 wickets in 15 Tests, has replaced injured pacer Khurram Shahzad.
The release said, “Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh Tests, remain firmly in the selectors' plans. However, due to the emphasis on consistency in the selection policy and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test, they have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions OneDay Cup and President's Cup, starting on October 3, so that they remain matchready through competitive cricket.” Pakistan men's redball team head coach Jason Gillespie said they are eagerly looking forward to the series against England.
Former Australia fast bowler Gillespie said, “Due to the busy schedule of domestic and international cricket, it is prudent to give our players some muchneeded rest before the Test series against England. We are eagerly looking forward to the series against England in Pakistan and cannot wait for it to start. We are excited to play in front of our wonderful supporters.''
Pakistan squad for the first Test:
Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vicecaptain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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– / Written By Top News Bulletin
Image Credit: KhasKhabar.