PCB announces Pakistan Shaheens tour of Sri Lanka

The Pakistan Shaheens will be touring Sri Lanka for two four-day matches and three 50-over games to be played in Kandy and Colombo from 28 October to 14 November. The top-order left-handed batter Saud Shakeel is all set to lead the side on the Sri Lanka tour. He has played in three One Day International matches against England earlier this year.

Abdullah Shafique (T20I), Arshad Iqbal (T20I), Haider Ali (ODI, T20I), Naseem Shah (Test), Usman Salahuddin (Test and ODI), and Zahid Mahmood (T20I) are the other internationals that are been named in the 19-man squad. However, a few players who were recently a part of the Pakistan side but couldn’t make it to the playing XI have also been retained.

Considering the upcoming ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 in the West Indies, the selectors have also included youngsters in the side. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s teenage wicketkeeper Salman Khan and top-order batter Qasim Akram have found a spot in the list. The aim has also been to provide opportunities to some budding and exciting talents.

The mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Irfanullah Shah and left-arm pacer Akif Javed have been given opportunities. Chief selector Muhammad Wasim stated that the aim of this tour is to provide good opportunities and prepare the cricketers for the highest level. He added that it will also help the players to arm their talents better.

The Sri Lanka tour will help these talented cricketers to further hone and polish their skills: Chief selector Muhammad Wasim

“The objective and purpose of such tours are to reward, encourage, motivate and prepare high-performing cricketers for future challenges, while also developing and strengthening our bench strength. The average age of this squad is under 22 and includes players who have either been part of the national squads or are knocking at the doors of international cricket. The Sri Lanka tour will help these talented cricketers to further hone and polish their skills so that they are ready to perform at the international level,” the chief selector said as reported by PCB.

The team is expected to depart for Kandy on October 21 with the first four-day match kick-starting from 28 October and the final 50 over match to be played on 14 November.

Pakistan Shaheens squad (in alphabetical order):

• Saud Shakeel (captain) (Sindh) (both formats)
• Haider Ali (vice-captain) (Northern) (both formats)
• Abbas Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (50-over)
• Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab) (both formats)
• Abrar Ahmed (Sindh) (both formats)
• Ahmed Safi Abdullah (Central Punjab) (four-day)
• Akif Javed (Balochistan) (50-over)
• Arshad Iqbal (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
• Irfanullah Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
• Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
• Khurram Shahzad (Balochistan) (both formats)
• Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
• Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab) (both formats)
• Omair Bin Yousuf (Sindh) (four-day)
• Qasim Akram (Central Punjab) (both formats)
• Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab) (both formats)
• Salman Khan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
• Usman Salahuddin (Southern Punjab) (four-day)
• Zahid Mahmood (Sindh) (both formats)

Player Support Personnel: Ijaz Ahmed (head coach and team manager), Rao Iftikhar  (Assistant coach), Mohtashim Rashid (fielding coach), Mohammad Javed (trainer), Faisal Rai (analyst) and Hafiz Naeem (physiotherapist).

Tour schedule:

• 21 Oct – departure for Kandy
• 28-31 Oct – 1^st four-day match, Kandy
• 4-7 Nov – 2^nd four-day match, Kandy
• 10 Nov – 1^st 50-over match, Colombo
• 12 Nov – 2^nd 50-over match, Colombo
• 14 Nov – 3^rd 50-over match, Colombo