Shaheen Afridi is set to embark on his first assignment as the full-time T20I captain, leading the squad in a series against New Zealand scheduled to kick off on January 12. This comes shortly after the culmination of the third and final Test of the ICC World Test Championship series against Australia.
However, the squad will miss the services of senior all-rounder Shadab Khan, the former vice-captain of the T20I squad in the Men’s T20 World Cup last year, due to an injury. Chief Selector Wahab Riaz, acknowledging Shadab’s significance in Pakistan T20 cricket, mentioned a two-week rehabilitation period before he can resume bowling.
The squad features several newcomers, including three wicketkeepers. Azam Khan, one of the trio, received special mention from Wahab Riaz, emphasizing the preference for skills over fitness. Azam Khan is anticipated to take on the role of a big-hitting batter at the No.6 spot, as per the chief selector’s plan.
Another notable inclusion is twenty-year-old Haseebullah Khan, who made a mark in the Pakistan Super League and serves as the other wicketkeeper in the squad. Meanwhile, fast bowlers Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Ihsanullah were excluded from consideration as they focus on recovering and regaining fitness.
The complete Pakistan squad for the T20I series against New Zealand comprises:
- Shaheen Afridi (c)
- Babar Azam
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Fakhar Zaman
- Saim Ayub
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Haseebullah Khan
- Iftikhar Ahmed
- Azam Khan
- Aamer Jamal
- Abbas Afridi
- Mohammad Wasim Jr
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Abrar Ahmed
- Usama Mir
- Haris Rauf
- Zaman Khan.
