PAK vs NZ: PCB announce 20-member squad for New Zealand ODIs

Four players in Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood have received their maiden international call-ups as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 20-member squad for the three-ODI series against New Zealand, with all fixtures to be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on September 17, 19 and 21. The ODIs will be followed by five T20Is, all scheduled in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan are coming after drawing a five-match away T20I series against West Indies 1-1, as three fixtures were washed out, while they also drew the following two-Test series 1-1. The team last played 50-overs cricket against England in an away series, where they suffered a 0-3 clean-sweep against a depleted unit led by Ben Stokes.

Middle-order batter Sohaib Maqsood, all-rounder Agha Salman, wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed, and pacer Mohammad Hasnain, who all were a part of Pakistan’s 50-over squad for the England tour have not managed to find a spot this time. Of these, Maqsood, Hasnain and Ahmed were named for West Indies T20Is, but with the imminent T20 World Cup, the management has given a look-in to some young prospects.

New Zealand are set to reach Pakistan on September 11, only a day after their Bangladesh tour comprising five T20Is gets concluded. Notably, this is going to be Kiwi’s first tour on these shores of the world after 18 long years.

Meanwhile, the PCB has obtained National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) approval for having crowds inside the stadium. As a result, approximately 4,500 spectators will be able to attend the ODIs, while approximately 5,500 spectators will be able to attend the T20Is scheduled on September 25, 26, 29, and October 1 and 3.

The New Zealand squad, meanwhile, has some notable omissions owing to the series’ clash with IPL 2021’s second leg, which will be played in the same duration in the UAE.

Pakistan Squad for New Zealand ODIs

Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Haris, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Rauf, Hasnain Ali, Shahbawaz Dahani