35-player squad announced for New Zealand tour
Veteran middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq has been dropped from the 30-member squad for the tour of New Zealand.
The right-handed batsman was under pressure after mixed form during the last two years where he could not register a single century in the five-day format in 18 innings, with six half-centuries to his name.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Misbah said that the upcoming series is “crucial” for the team as it will help Pakistan improve its T20I rankings and gain valuable points in the ICC World Test Championship.
“Against this background and taking into consideration recent player performances, we have selected the best available players,” said Misbah.
The head coach stated that the tour schedule has been designed in such a way that the players “play tough intra-squad matches”.
The Green Caps will face Kiwis in three T20Is and two Test matches in the series which will officially get underway from December 18, 2020 with a 20-over fixture in Auckland.
Squad:
Openers: Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Shan Masood, Imam-ul-Haq, Zeeshan Malik
Middle-order batsmen: Babar Azam (captain), Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Haider Ali, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imran Butt, Khushdil Shah, Danish Azaiz, Mohammad Hafeez,
Wicketkeepers: Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain in Tests), Rohail Nazir, Sarfaraz Ahmed
Spinners: Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan (vice-captain in T20Is), Usman Qadir, Yasir Shah, Zafar Gohar
Fast-bowlers: Amad Butt, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Musa, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz
Schedule:
Dec 18 — First T20I, Eden Park, Auckland
Dec 20 — Second T20I, Seddon Park, Hamilton
Dec 22 — Third T20I, McLean Park, Napier
Dec 26-30 — First Test, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
January 3-7 — Second Test, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Schedule of Shaheens vs New Zealand A will be announced as soon as it is confirmed by the NZC