Pakistan announce squad for limited overs series against New Zealand

Pakistan Cricket Board have announced the squad for their limited overs series against New Zealand. Four players - Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood have received their maiden call-ups to the national team.

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Pakistan will host the Kiwis in 3 ODIs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on September 17, 19 and 31 before crossing swords in five T20Is at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium scheduled on September 25, 26, 29, and October 1 and 3.

Pakistan’s last T20I series was against West Indies. The series was marred by bad weather as only two games were possible, with both teams claiming a win each. Their last 50 over series was against England, where a second-string English side crushed Babar Azam’s men 3-0.

Post their miserable outings in England, middle-order batter Sohaib Maqsood, all-rounder Agha Salman, wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed, and pacer Mohammad Hasnain have been dropped from the squad. 

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New Zealand will arrive in Pakistan on September 11 after competing in a five-match T20I series against Bangladesh. However, visitors will be without the services of several key players who have pulled out of the tour. Moreover, permission has been granted to the PCB to have crowds in the stadium. As of now, the series will see around 4500 spectators for the ODIs while as many as 5500 will be there cheering for their team in T20Is.

Pakistan Squad for New Zealand ODIs

Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Haris, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Rauf, Hasnain Ali, Shahbawaz Dahani