Pakistan announce squad for T20I against England

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the 13-men Twenty20 International team for the one-off T20I against England. Wicketkeeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed who has also been touted as the next ODI skipper after Azhar Ali’s failure in the ongoing series against England will lead the team in the shortest format of the game.

Chief Selector Mr. Inzamam-ul-Hag has once again picked a squad with a new face, retained the experienced ones and backed to the ones who deserved. Both Wahab Riaz and Shoaib Malik who haven’t been in the best of forms in the ODI series have been named in the team while Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad the two players who haven’t really been in Inzamam’s good books continue to remain out.

This will be Pakistan’s first T20I appearance ever since they crashed out of group stages of the World T20 2016. Shahid Afridi who led them in the tournament and expressed his desire to continue playing for the national team in the shortest format has been ignored.

Uncanny left-arm pacer Sohail Tanveer has also managed to make it into the team. He has been in tremendous form in the shortest format of the game and has been the star player for various teams across the globe in domestic T20 leagues. 30-year old right-hand opening batsman Khalid Latif who was also a part of the WT20 squad has been selected for the match.

The only new face included is 21–year old right-arm pacer Ammad Butt. He has an experience of 6 T20 matches to go with 7 first-class and 14 List A appearances. Butt has been in impressive run for the Lahore W team in National T20 Cup having also featured in the Pakistan A team that toured England.

Pakistan squad for the one-off T20I against England:

Sarfraz Ahmed (C), Khalid Latif, Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Muhammad Nawaz, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Sohail Tanveer, Amad Butt

Both the teams will lock horns for the only T20I on 7 September at Old Trafford.