ICC World Cup 2019: PCB invites 23 probables for the fitness test ahead of the quadrennial event

Pakistan have left out senior players like Wahab Riaz, Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad as they announced their 23-man squad for the upcoming World Cup. The Inzamam-ul-Haq-led selection committee named the players to appear in the two-day fitness tests scheduled on April 15 and 16 at the National Cricket Academy. Prior to naming the list of the probable players, the selectors had also consulted head coach Mickey Arthur.

Umar was recently recalled into the ODI team for the Australia series after his fine displays in the Pakistan Super League. However, the right-handed batsman managed to score just 150 runs in 5 outings. But he soon regained his form in the domestic arena, scoring an unbeaten 136 on Thursday before scoring blistering 99 in the Pakistan National One-Day Cup on the day the probable squad was announced.

The selectors have included the middle-order batsman, Asif Ali for the fitness tests which came as surprise. Despite the right-handed batsman was dropped for the ODI series against Australia. Another big name to miss out was senior pacer Wahab Riaz, who was being tipped to be in the squad as the most senior pacer due to Mohammad Amir‘s struggles.

However, the selectors recalled Amir and left out Wahab who had a five-wicket haul in the National Cup on Wednesday. In addition to Wahab and Umar, opener Shehzad, who impressed with four half-centuries in the last five matches of the PSL, including the final also missed out despite Pakistan naming as many as four openers in the team.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have named all the six players who were rested for the Australia series including allrounder Mohammad Hafeez who recently had to undergo two surgeries on his broken thumb.

Pakistan’s busy English summer

Before starting their World Cup campaign against Windies on May 31, Pakistan will play 11 50-over games and two T20s. They will play five ODIs and a T20I against England, three 50-overs games and one T20 game against county sides before playing two World Cup warm-up games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s probables

Sarfaraz Ahmed (Capt), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Aamir, Mohammad Hafeez, Muhammad Hasnain, Muhammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik, Usman Khan Shinwari and Yasir Shah.

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