Achi news desk-
LAHORE: During a press conference in Lahore, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee announced the Pakistan team for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand scheduled from April 18 to 27 in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Selection committee member Wahab Riaz announced the 17 member squad for the series against the Kiwis.
After this announcement, all the players Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir returned to international cricket. Both the cricketers recently took back their retirement after a positive performance in the Pakistan Premier League (PSL 9).
Two of the most talented players have earned the selectors’ nod after their impressive performances in the HBL Pakistan Premier League.
Irfan Khan of Karachi Kings was awarded the Newcomer and Best Fielder of HBL PSL 9 after scoring 171 runs at a strike rate of 140.16. In all, 21-year-old Mianwali-born Irfan has featured in 34 T20Is where he has scored 499 runs at a strike rate of 135.96. Irfan has also represented Pakistan in the 2020 and 2022 ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup.
Usman Khan of Multan Sultans scored two centuries and two half-centuries in the recent event to help his team reach the final where they lost to Islamabad United in a last-ball thriller. In HBL PSL 8, the 28-year-old Karachi-born right-hander scored a 36-ball century against Quetta Gladiators, the fastest century in the tournament’s history. In total, Usman has featured in 36 T20Is where he has scored 1207 runs at a strike rate of 146.12.
Pakistan Squad vs New Zealand
Babar Azam (Captain), Muhammad Rizwan (WK), Azam Khan (WK), Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Usman, Muhammad Abrar, Muhammad Amir, Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Saeem Ayub, Naseem Shah, Zaman Khan Shaheen Afridi, Abbas Afridi, and Mohammad Imran Niazi.
Non-traveling reserves: Haseebullah, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Wasim Jr., Sahibzada Farhan, and Salman Ali Agha.
