Pakistan’s six new debutants for West Indies tour express joy

Pakistan recently announced T20 and ODI squad for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, and it features six debutants, all of whom have expressed their joy of being given a chance by the selectors. Of the sextuplet, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Rumman Raees and Usman Khan Shinwari were picked on the basis of their performances in the Pakistan Super League, whereas Asif Zakir and Fahim Ashraf have been consistent in the domestic season.

The 33-year-old Zakir’s inclusion was a long time due, and he has vowed to not let this opportunity slip his from his hands.

“I have been performing for a long time and was hopeful that I will get a chance,” Zakir, who has been playing domestic cricket for 14 years and is a first-class veteran of 123 matches, told The Express Tribune.

“My job was to keep performing and piling up stats, which has finally paid off. I will try and perform to the best of my abilities for the national team.”

All-rounder Ashraf compared his selection to passing an exam. He said he had been working hard for this moment and now that it has finally come it feels like he passed his examination, although the main test will be the West Indies tour itself.

Meanwhile, Shinwari highlighted his never-say-die attitude which helped him recover from a debilitating injury and credited the PSL for helping resurrect his career.

“I was quite disappointed when I suffered that injury as it was my dream to play for the national team,” recalled Shinwari. “With a year out of cricket I was not sure if I would ever have my pre-injury pace.

Shadab, who is the the youngest squad member all of 18 in added: “This is great achievement for me as I have got this chance at an early age, and it has been made possible because of the hard work I put in with my coaches and trainers.”