Pakistan cricket selectors today named the squad for the three ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League One-Day Internationals against the West Indies, which are scheduled at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on 8, 10 and 12 June.
As the series will not be played in a Managed Event Environment, the selectors have decided to reduce the 21-player squad for the home Australia ODIs to 16 players and those left out of the squad from next month’s matches are Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Haider Ali and Usman Qadir. Saud Shakeel was not considered as he is scheduled to undergo a surgery for sinusitis.
Babar Azam will continue to lead the side, while Shadab Khan, who missed the Australia ODIs due to an injury, has returned as vice-captain.
The squad will assemble in Rawalpindi on 1 June for a training camp and Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan, who are presently playing in the English County Championship, will join the squad in time for the practice sessions.
The squad includes three openers in Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, three middle-order batters in Babar Azam, Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah, two wicketkeeper/batters in Mohammad Haris and Mohammad Rizwan, two spin all-rounders Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan with Zahid Mahmood as a wrist spinner and five fast bowlers in Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shahnawaz Dahani.
Pakistan boasts three batters inside the top-15 of ICC player rankings with Babar sitting on top of the tree, followed by third-ranked Imam-ul-Haq and 12th-ranked Fakhar Zaman.
Amongst the bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi is the highest-ranked player in seventh position.
Pakistan squad for West Indies ODIs:
Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper/batter), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper/batter), Mohammad Wasim Junior, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood.
