Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi return as Pakistan name T20I and ODI squad for New Zealand series

Babar Azam returned as the captain of the Pakistan T20I team after being named in the squad for the upcoming home T20I series against New Zealand. Babar will also lead the Pakistan side in the following ODI series.

Also making their comeback are pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, senior wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and opener Fakhar Zamanhave a. All these players were rested for the 3-T20I series against Afghanistan. Pakistan lost that series 1-2 under the leadership of Shahad Khan.

The T20I series consisting of five T20Is will commence from April 14 in Lahore. The ODI series of as many matches will kick off from April 27 in Rawalpindi.

Shaheen had missed five Tests and three ODIs against England and New Zealand post the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. The left-arm fast bowler, who led Lahore Qalandars to their second consecutive Pakistan Super League title last month.

However he stayed away from thr rigours of international cricket following a knee injury he had sustained during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in July last year. The 22-year-old had subsequently missed the second Test against Sri Lanka, ODI series against the Netherlands, ACC Asia Cup in the UAE and seven-match T20I series in Pakistan.

Pacers Ihsanullah and Zaman Khan, and opener Saim Ayub - have been retained in the T20I squad following stellar performances in their debut series against Afghanistan in Sharjah. Ihsanullah has also been added to the ODI squad for the first time in his career.

The release from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also added that the squad will assemble in Lahore on April 6 where the training camp will commence on April 7.

Pakistan Squads:

Pakistan T20I squad for T20I series vs New Zealand: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Zaman Khan

Pakistan T20I squad for ODI series vs New Zealand: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Usama Mir

Pakistan vs New Zealand Full Schedule

14 Apr - 1st T20I, Lahore

15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Lahore

17 Apr – 3rd T20I, Lahore

20 Apr – 4th T20I, Rawalpindi

24 Apr – 5th T20I, Rawalpindi

27 Apr – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi

29 Apr – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi

3 May – 3rd ODI, Karachi

5 May – 4th ODI, Karachi

7 May – 5th ODI, Karachi

Note: T20Is to start at 9pm and ODIs to begin at 3.30pm