Shaheen returns to Test squad for SL collection; Huraira, Jamal get maiden call-ups
Shaheen Shah Afridi has returned to Pakistan’s Test squad for the two-match collection towards Sri Lanka subsequent month. The 16-member roster additionally consists of batter Muhammad Huraira and allrounder Aamer Jamal. It’s a maiden Test call-up for each of them.
From the final Test squad, which performed a two-match house collection towards New Zealand in December-January, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zahid Mahmood and Kamran Ghulam missed out.
Morne Morkel, in the meantime, has been appointed because the crew’s bowling coach with a six-month contract.
Afridi, who’s presently on 99 Test wickets, final performed within the format in July 2022. That was additionally towards Sri Lanka, in Galle, the place he sustained a knee damage. He made a comeback on the T20 World Cup in October however harm his knee once more within the closing. Earlier this 12 months, he captained Lahore Qalandars to their second successive PSL title. He additionally featured within the subsequent T20I and ODI collection towards New Zealand, and is presently enjoying the T20 Blast in England, the place he’s the top wicket-taker for Nottinghamshire.
“I am very excited to be returning to the Pakistan Test side after a year,” Afridi stated. “I dearly missed Test cricket and it was tough for me to be away from this format.
“After lacking our complete house season due to the damage I suffered in Sri Lanka, I’m desirous to make an impactful comeback in the identical nation and full a century of wickets in Test cricket. I need to thank my followers who’ve offered me help in robust occasions and I’m prepared for the challenges forward.”
Huraira, 21, has been rewarded for his performances within the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy; he was the highest run-getter within the earlier two seasons. In 24 first-class video games, he has 2252 runs at a median of 68.24, with a better of 311 off 343 balls. He was the second-youngest triple-centurion in Pakistan, behind Javed Miandad.
Jamal made his Pakistan debut in the course of the T20I collection towards England final 12 months. In his very first recreation, he impressed by defending 14 runs in the last over towards Moeen Ali and David Willey.
He was additionally the main wicket-taker amongst quick bowlers within the 2022-23 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, taking 31 scalps at 29.71. More not too long ago, he picked up 5 wickets in the only red-ball game he played for Pakistan Shaheens towards Zimbabwe Select. He topped the charts within the white-ball collection, with 16 strikes in six video games at an economic system charge of 6.33.
The squad features four spinners, four fast bowlers, six specialist batters and two wicketkeeper-batters, including Mohammad Rizwan, who has also been drafted in for the Global T20 Canada, which is about to clash with the Sri Lanka Tests subsequent month.
“The circumstances in Sri Lanka largely favour finger spinners – one thing that we have now seen through the years and through Pakistan’s final go to to the island – so we have now three such bowlers to go along with the thriller spin of Abrar Ahmed,” chief selector Haroon Rashid said. “At the identical time, we can’t overlook the necessity for quick bowlers and, as such, we have now included 4 pacers so the captain and crew administration have ample assets on the tour. We boast a robust batting line-up, which I’m assured will do properly within the two matches.
“The players who have missed out on the selection should not get bogged down as they firmly remain part of our plans. We have an exciting and challenging season ahead of us and they should make the most of the opportunities in domestic cricket and Shaheens’ tours to keep themselves ready.”
This collection will likely be Pakistan’s first project within the new World Test Championship cycle, which runs from 2023 to 2025. The squad will assemble in Karachi on July 3 for a camp earlier than departing for Sri Lanka on July 9. The itinerary of the tour has not been introduced but.
Pakistan Test squad: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-capt, wk), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood