South Africa vs Pakistan: PCB announces 15-man T20I squad

Pakistan’s South Africa tour was expected to test the team and clearly, the visitors are struggling. After getting whitewashed in the Test series, they are lagging in the five-match ODI series by 1-2 and will conclude the tour with three T20 Internationals. The PCB has announced the 15-man squad for the same and it bears a similar look to the ODI team with the only notable addition being Mohammad Amir.

After being axed (or rested) from all the formats for the home series against New Zealand, the left-arm pacer has made a come back in all the teams. He did well in the whites picking 12 wickets at an impressive average of 23.58 and was also the highest wicket-taker for his team. However, his struggle continues in the 50-over format.

He once again went wicketless in his comeback game in the third ODI and returned with the figures of 0/36 in seven overs in a rain-marred encounter which Pakistan lost.

Asif Ali included in the squad

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) products Asif Ali and Hussain Talat have also been included in the 15-man squad. Sahibzada Farhan is also the part of the team as the selectors seem to be keen on giving more game time to the same group which is playing the ODI series.

Sarfaraz Ahmed will continue to remain the captain of the team and with no backup wicketkeeper named, it seems there is no respite for him. There have been calls for him to be rested ahead of the World Cup due to the workload. With the PSL also approaching and England tour just before the mega-event, Pakistan skipper might go into the World Cup tired and should be taken care of.

The squad also boasts of the experienced players like Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez who have been the vital cog of the team for more than a decade now. The T20I series will commence on February 1 in Cape Town and will be concluded on February 6 at the Supersport Park in Centurion.

Pakistan squad for the T20I series: Sarfaraz Ahmed (C & WK), Asif Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Usman Khan Shinwari.

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