The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 18-man Pakistani squad led by Babar Azam for the upcoming bilateral series against Ireland and England. Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Squad 2024 will be announced after the 1st T20I vs England as per an official release from the Board.
The Men in Green have retained their core unit which took on New Zealand in a recently concluded 5-match T20I series on home soil. After the 1st T20I got washed out due to rain, the following 4 T20Is saw Pakistan win two and the Kiwis win two. With their first T20 series before the T20 World Cup remaining a draw, Babar Azam and Co. will aim to do better in Ireland and England.
Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali return to the Pakistan squad
The big news from PCB’s squad announcement for the back-to-back away series in Ireland and England, is the returns of fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali. Both of them were not a part of the Pakistani team which played a 2-2 draw in the T20I series against New Zealand.
Hasan Ali will be returning in national colors for the first time since January 2024. His last appearance came for Pakistan during their 3rd Test match against Australia in Sydney. In fact, he is in line to play his first T20I game for the national team since September 2022 when he played a T20I against Sri-Lanka in Dubai.
As for Haris Rauf, the right-arm pacer who was a part of the Pakistan team which finished as runners-up of 2022 T20 WC, is set to return from a shoulder injury. Rauf had sustained that injury while playing for the Lahore Qalandars in Pakistan Super League season 9 earlier this year.
When they return to the National set-up, Rauf and Ali will find Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Abbas Afridi and Mohammad Amir as the other pacers. As for spinners – Imad Wasim and Abrar Ahmed will have the main onus while Iftikhar Ahmed can also roll up his arm whenever required.
Strong batting line-up led by Babar Azam
Pakistan have also picked a strong batting line-up (on paper) which will be led by skipper Babar Azam. Mohammad Rizwan and Azam Khan will be the two wicket-keeper batters.
While announcing the squad for the upcoming 2 series, Pakistan’s selection committee expressed their high hopes for the National team.
“The squad encompasses a robust top-order featuring Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, and Usman Khan; an effective middle-order with Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed and Muhammad Irfan Khan; versatile all-rounders in Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan and Salman Ali Agha; a pace battery led by Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi; and the spin prowess of Abrar Ahmed.” – the selectors said in Lahore.
Pakistan’s squad for the Ireland and England T20is:
Babar Azam (C) Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan (WK), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.
