Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday that left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman is included in Pakistan’s squad for the Men’s T20 World Cup, replacing leg-spinner Usman Qadir, who has been moved to the traveling reserves.
The change, as PCB said in an official statement, was necessary as Qadir is yet to recover from a hairline fracture on his right thumb that he suffered during the September 25 T20I against England in Karachi. The leg-spinner will not be available for selection before October 22.
Fakhar, earlier enlisted as a reserve player, will arrive in Brisbane from London on Saturday along with left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who had been undergoing rehabilitation for a right-knee injury.
The duo will be available for selection in Pakistan’s warm-up matches against England (October 17) and Afghanistan (October 19), during which the team management will assess the left-handed batter Zaman’s fitness after recovering from a knee injury.
Pakistan, the 2009 edition champions, will kick-start their Men’s T20 World Cup campaign in a Super12 clash against arch-rivals India on October 23 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
On Friday, they won the T20I tri-series at Christchurch, defeating New Zealand by five wickets at Hagley Oval.
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.
Traveling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir.
–IANS