Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan - Squad & Schedule

The Asia Cup finally returns after a hiatus of four years following deliberations on the preferred destination for the tournament after the tournament was in jeopardy following Sri Lanka’s withdrawal from hosting the tournament amid political and financial turmoil in the country. UAE are the new designated hosts after getting the green flag last month. 

The continental tournament will serve as a perfect training exercise ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. The last edition’s semi-finalists, Pakistan, will be eyeing a strong tournament to test their preparations. 

The Men in Green announced their squad for the six-team tournament earlier this month as Babar Azam eyes his first ever major tournament success leading the national team. While the mercurial skipper will be leading the side, the experienced batting duo of Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman will be crucial to their side’s chances in the upcoming tournament.

The Pakistani selectors decided against the selection of Hasan Ali, whose form has gone into a tailspin since the 2017 Champions Trophy success. The selectors instead opted for young trailblazing pacer Naseem Shah, who has featured for the national team in red-ball cricket but is yet to have a taste of the shorter formats of the game.

Fast bowling sensation Shaheen Afridi will be spearheading the bowling attack, and his fitness, following a knee injury in the recently concluded Test series against Sri Lanka, will be pivotal for the Men in Green. Haris Rauf is another pacer who will be a menace for the opposition batters with his rapid bouncers and yorkers. Shadab Khan is another player who will play a significant role in the team’s success with his all-around abilities.

Pakistan’s squad and Fixtures for Asia Cup 2022

Pakistan’s squad for Asia Cup: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir.

Schedule

28-Aug – Pakistan vs India Dubai 7:30 PM

2-Sep – Pakistan vs Qualifier Sharjah 7:30 PM