Pakistan name 3 uncapped players for preparatory camp ahead of WI Test series

Pakistan named a list of 13 players who will take part in the preparatory camp for the West Indies Test. The list includes 3 uncapped cricketers – fast bowler, Mohammad Abbas; Left-arm spinner, Khalid Usman, and 20-yeard old rookie fast bowler, Asad Raza.

Asad Raza shot into the limelight last year when he achieved the rare feat of picking up all-ten wickets in the innings, while he was playing for Faisalabad against Hyderabad in the U-19 three-day regional tournament. He also claimed a hattrick in the same innings. Such performances are hard to ignore and he was summoned by the PCB to take part in this camp.

Fast bowler Abbas, who has 244 first-class wickets to his name, has been picked on the backs of excellent performances in domestic cricket. The 27-year old was the leading wicket taker in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy for two consecutive seasons.

31-year old Khalid Usman is a bowling all-rounder. He is a left-arm spinner by trade but has as many as 17 half-centuries to his name in first-class cricket. His tally of 181 wickets in 71 games also looks impressive. He will be keen to prove a point to the selectors in the four-day camp.

Out-of-favor batsmen – Usman Salahuddin and Shan Masood – have also been recalled. While Usman played his 2 ODI’s almost six years ago, Masood played last of his 9 Tests in 2016. Usman boosts of great numbers in first-class cricket as he averages 47.29 with the bat and has scored 19 centuries. The 26-year old got the attention of the selectors after notching up 843 runs in 17 innings at an average of 70.25 in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy this season.

The squad for the four-day preparatory camp is listed below:

Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Younis Khan, Misbah ul Haq, Asad Shafiq, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali, Muhammad Abbas, Asad Raza and Khalid Usman.

The squad for the 3-match Test series is expected to be announced on April 7. The first Test will commence in Jamaica on April 22. The venues for the next two Tests are Barbados and Dominica respectively.