Babar Azam will lead the Pakistan cricket team in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies after they revealed their 15-man squad on Friday (May 24). The 15-man squad will see the return of Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim with the former playing his first T20 World Cup since 2016.
The selection committee meeting was attended by new white-ball coach Gary Kirsten along with Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Bilal Afzal, Mohammad Yousuf and Wahab Riaz.
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Pakistan finally reveal squad for T20 World Cup
With the deadline to announce the squad fast approaching on Saturday (May 25), the selection committee on Friday revealed the 15-man squad. As expected, Babar will lead the side while Shaheen Shah Afridi remains one of the untouchables in the squad.
However, it was Mohammad Amir who made the headlines with his return to T20 World Cup action for the first time in over eight years. Amir recently returned to the Pakistan squad for the Ireland tour despite having visa issues while Imad Wasim will also make his return to the World Cup squad for the first time since 2021.
Hasan Ali, who was sent back home during the ongoing England tour dropped from the squad after failing to convince the coaches and selection committee.
This will be new white-ball coach Gary Kirsten’s first assignment with the national side in a major International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament, having taken charge of the side earlier this month. Interestingly, there are no reserve players in the Pakistan squad despite the ICC’s provision.
Pakistan will start their T20 World Cup campaign against co-hosts USA on Thursday (June 6) before taking on India in a high-voltage clash on June 9 in New York. Pakistan will then face Canada and Ireland to round off the first group-stage campaign.
Pakistan’s Squad for T20 World Cup 2024
Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
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