Pakistan names Babar in T20 World Cup squad amid tournament uncertainty

Pakistan Announces Twenty20 World Cup Squad Amid Uncertainty

The Pakistan Cricket Board has named a 15-man squad for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7. The team will be led by Salman Ali Agha and includes several returning players, including former captain Babar Azam.

Babar Azam’s return to the squad comes after PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed uncertainty over the team’s participation in the tournament due to strained relations with India. However, Naqvi stated that the PCB is awaiting government permission before confirming the team’s participation.

Chief selector Aaqib Javed confirmed that the Pakistani government will make a final decision on whether the team will travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament. The squad was announced despite the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s plans for the World Cup.

The team includes several notable players, including spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan and fast bowler Naseem Shah. However, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been excluded from the squad.

Pakistan will play exclusively in Sri Lanka due to strained relations with India, while Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland after refusing to tour India. The team’s head coach, Mike Hesson, expressed confidence in Babar Azam’s ability to perform on slow pitches in Sri Lanka.

The Pakistan squad for the tournament includes:

• Salman Ali Agha (captain)
• Abrar Ahmed
• Babar Azam
• Faheem Ashraf
• Fakhar Zaman
• Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper)
• Mohammad Nawaz
• Salman Mirza
• Naseem Shah
• Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper)
• Saim Ayub
• Shaheen Afridi
• Shadab Khan
• Usman Tariq

Source: Al Jazeera