Pakistan have made one change in their squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022 with Fakhar Zaman and Usman Qadir swapping places. Fakhar is included in the 15-player squad and Usman has moved to the travelling reserves.
The change was necessary as Usman Qadir is yet to recover from a hairline fracture on his right thumb that he suffered during the 25 September T20I against England in Karachi. The leg-spinner will not be available for selection before 22 October as stated by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Fakhar will arrive in Brisbane from London along with Shaheen Shah Afridi on Saturday and will be available for selection in the two warm-up matches against England (17 October) and Afghanistan (19 October), during which the team management will assess the left-handed batter’s fitness.
Fakhar has a good record against India and could be the dark horse for the Pakistani team in its clash with India on October 23. The left-hander scored a match-winning century in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy to hand India a defeat.
Pakistan beat New Zealand to win the Tri-Series final on Friday. Mohammad Nawaz’s unbeaten knock of 38 helped Pakistan win by five wickets in the tri-series final at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
This victory for Pakistan before the T20 World Cup is going to boost their morale. Haider Ali scored 31 runs in 15 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes and Mohammad Nawaz played an unbeaten knock of 38 off 22 balls. Apart from this, Iftikhar Ahmed also played an innings of 25 not out off 14 balls.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood.
Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir (ANI)
