Pakistan have rested Mohammed Haris for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Apart from him, leg-spinner Shadab Khan will also miss the series due to ankle injury. Pakistan are currently in Australia for the Test series and will play against New Zealand from January 12 in the T20I series. 

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Speaking on the selection, Pakistan chief selector Wahab Riaz said: “Shadab is a very important member of Pakistan T20 cricket and he’s a white-ball specialist. Unfortunately he got injured during the season; he twisted his ankle which will take another two weeks for rehab. He will be available to bowl after that. Haris is rested because there were some first-class performers and we saw Harris’ capability and since he’s part of our plans going forward, we want to use our pool of players.”

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The Men In Green will also be missing the service of frontline pacer Naseem Shah who has been injured since September earlier this year. Wahab, however, said that the pacer has recovered from the injury but is going though rehab.

“Ihsanullah, Shadab, Mohammad Hasnain, and Naseem Shah were unfit,” Wahab said. “The good news is Hasnain and Naseem have recovered and Naseem is undergoing rehab at the cricket academy and we don’t want to overload him so he will be available for the PSL next year. Same for Hasnain – he is returning and we’ve called him at the academy so we can assess him. Ihsanullah will unfortunately take more time and I’m not sure right now if he’ll play in the PSL or not. Shadab will also come to the academy after his ankle injury and he’ll undergo rehab.”

The T20I series against New Zealand will also be Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first as the full time skipper. Afridi was appointed as the skipper in the shortest format in the aftermath of the ODI World Cup 2023 where Pakistan failed to qualify for the semis.

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