LAHORE: Pakistan paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi was ruled out of the Men In Green’s Test series against England as he goes recuperation following surgery and an injury.
The Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) Chief Selector Muhammad Wasim verified the 18-player team for December’s three ICC World Test Championship matches during a press conference at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium as the Babar Azam-led side gear over for the forthcoming series.
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The absence of Shaheen has dealt a huge blow to the Pakistani side, who calculate largely on the youthful bowler to lead the platoon’s pace attack.
Shaheen was unapproachable for selection after he passed appendicitis surgery on Sunday, which will bear three- four weeks ’ rest following which he’ll renew his two- week recuperation on his right knee.
Shaheen, Pakistan’s strike bowler in all formats of the game, has 99 Test, 62 ODI, and 58 T20 transnational lattices from a career that started in 2018.
There are four changes in the team from Pakistan’s last Test assignment, which was in Sri Lanka that redounded in the two- Test series ending 1-1. The three players who aren’t part of the side, piecemeal from Shaheen, are Hasan Ali, Fawad Alam, and Yasir Shah.
Fawad managed 33 runs in four innings of three Tests against Australia before this time, while he scored 25 runs in his only Test in Sri Lanka. Hasan took five lattices in his last four Tests against Australia and Sri Lanka, while Yasir Shah bagged nine lattices in Sri Lanka but has managed only 14 lattices in seven Quaid-e-Azam jewel matches to date.
riddle incentive Abrar Ahmed and fast bowler Mohammad Ali have been awarded for their strong first- class performances with demoiselle Test call- ups.
Twenty- four- time-old Abrar is in red-hot form in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam jewel. Before the launch of the last round on Sunday( 20 November), Abrar had claimed 43 lattices at an normal of21.95.
He has recorded five five- gate hauls in six matches and has played an integral part in turning his side into serious contenders to secure a situation in the Quaid-e-Azam jewel final.
Central Punjab’s Mohammad Ali has been the stylish fast bowler in the Quaid-e-Azam jewel in the last two editions, taking 56 lattices. His 24 lattices, including two five gate hauls, at25.54 in six matches are the most for any fast bowler this first- class season.
His 32 lattices at 22.78 in eight matches in 2021-22 were also the most for a fast bowler.
Uncapped Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Zahid Mehmood, who were part of the Test side for the three Tests against Australia before in the time, are the other two players to return to the side.
In his presser, Wasim complimented all the players who have been named for the major Test series against England.
“ I’m confident that this platoon will insure that the forthcoming Test series against England will end in the same manner as it did when they last voyaged Pakistan in 2005,” the principal chooser said.
Squad
Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imam- ul- Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood.
