Pakistan Name 16-Man Squad Ahead Of The First Test Against England
Published - 04 Aug 2020, 06:51 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:32 AM
Ahead of the Test series between England and Pakistan slated to start in Manchester from the 5th of August, the visitors have named a 16-man squad. Earlier, Pakistan shortlisted a 20-man party for the entire Test series of which only 16 players would remain in contention for the first Test. For the bilateral series, they opted for 29 players in total.
Pakistan have excluded four pace bowlers from their ranks, namely Faheem Ashraf, Imran Khan, Usman Shinwari and Wahab Riaz. Former skipper and keeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed has made it to the squad while Mohammad Rizwan arguably remains the first-choice gloveman. There is also room for three spinners in Shadab Khan, Yasir Shah, and Kashif Bhatti.
Despite leaving out four potent seamers, the tourists still have a reliable stream of pacers with Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sohail Khan all of them getting the nod. Pakistan have performed significantly better during their last two visits to England, drawing the series in 2016 and 2018.
It is a possibility and an encouraging sign for us: Pakistan coach and chief selector
Pakistan head coach and selector Misbah-Ul-Haq stated that the management would keep an eye on the deck, weather conditions today as well as tomorrow. It is to ascertain whether to play two spinners or not. Bowling coach Waqar Younis also indicated that they might play two spinners, given the slow nature of the pitch during the England-West Indies Test series.
“We will keep an eye on the pitch and the weather conditions, today and tomorrow, before taking a decision on whether to play two spinners or not. It is a possibility and an encouraging sign for us. The pitch and weather conditions might be favouring us at the moment but you still have to execute your plans properly to win,” Misbah stated earlier this week at a press conference.
Squad: Azhar Ali (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah.
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