Pakistan squad announced for ODI series against Netherlands and Asia Cup 2022
Aug 03, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], July 3 : Pakistan on Wednesday announced its squad for the upcoming tour of the Netherlands and the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2022.
Pakistan will tour to Netherlands for a three-match ODI series starting on August 16 onwards. A 16 players squad was announced for the same on Tuesday. Pakistan also at the same time announced the squad for T20 Asia Cup which will be played in UAE.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been named in both the squads in place of Hasan Ali, while Salman Ali Agha, who toured England in 2021 for the ODIs, has been recalled. Shaheen Shah Afridi has been retained in the ODI and T20I squads, and his rehabilitation programme will be overseen by the team trainer and physiotherapist, who will also decide on his return to international cricket.
There will be five changes from the Netherlands ODI squad to the ACC T20 Asia Cup side. Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood will be replaced by Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed and Usman Qadir.
The squads for both the series are as follows:
Pakistan squad for Netherlands ODIs - Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern), Abdullah Shafique (Balochistan), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haris Rauf (Northern), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Khushdil Shah (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Haris (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Zahid Mehmood (Sindh)
Pakistan squad for T20 Asia Cup - Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Shadab Khan (vice-captain) (Northern), Asif Ali (Northern), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern), Iftikhar Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Khushdil Shah (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab)
"We have only made changes that were necessary. Both the competitions are important for us and, as such, we have picked our best available players in consultation with the captain and head coach" said the Chief selector Muhammed Wasim in an official statement.
There were some decisions in the squads that might come as a surprise to the fans but Wasim explained the decision-making and the reasons behind those decisions in the official statement.
"Hasan has been given a break from international cricket and he has been replaced by Naseem Shah. He is express fast and can give further impetus to the fast bowling department, which already boasts Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shahnawaz Dahani," said Wasim.
"Naseem has not played any international white-ball cricket, but he has demonstrated with the red-ball that he is an attacking option with good pace and controlled swing," he added.
The Pakistan squad will also have a training camp in which two ODI's will be played. The players playing in Amsterdam are expected to join the rest of the Dubai squad on 22nd August.