PCB announces squad for ACC Emerging Cup, Rizwan to lead

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq announced the squad for the U-23 ACC Emerging Cup which kick starts in Bangladesh on March 27. The squad comprises of 15 players and is led by Mohammed Rizwan, who has represented the senior side in 25 ODI’s and a solitary Test.

The ACC tournament gives provision of including four international players to the Test playing nations while the Associates can play at full-strength. Eight teams, including four Associates, participate in this tournament which is played every 4 years. India won the last edition held in Singapore in 2013.

The Pakistan squad also includes promising all-rounder Harris Sohail, who forced his way back to the game after a career-threatening knee injury. Harris had undergone an unsuccessful knee operation at Dubai in 2015 and was later sent to London for more examination by the PCB. Amidst the cloud over his playing career, Harris remained calm and vowed to make a comeback to cricket eventually. The all-rounder has played 22 ODIs as well as 4 T20Is for the senior team and was a regular member of the team in the World Cup 2015.

After spending 15 months away from the game, Harris made a strong comeback to cricket when he represented NCA XI in a game against Malaysia in Lahore scoring an unbeaten 119 in January this year. Sohail also picked up 3/13 with his left-arm spin in the same game. He will be looking to use this Emerging Cup as a stepping stone to make a comeback to international cricket. The 28-year-old has also been named the vice-captain of the squad.

Pakistan has picked a strong squad and will face Nepal in their first game on Monday (March 27) at the Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox’s Bazar.

Pakistan U-23 Team: Imam ul Haq, Jaahid Ali, Imran Butt, Haris Sohail (VC), Khushdil Shah, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Rizwan (C/WK), Bilal Asif, Osama Mir, Zafar Gohar, Sameen Gul, Ahmed Bashir, Ghulam Mudassar, Ammad Butt, Hammad Azam

Team Management: Syed Naushad Ali – Team Manager, Azam Khan – Head Coach, Kamran Khan – Assistant Coach, Javed Hayat – Fielding Coach, Yasir Malik – Trainer, Usman Hashmi – Analyst, Hafiz Naeem – Physio

Written by Salman Khan