Yasir Shah included in MCC lineup against Afghanistan

Pakistan’s ace leg-spinner Yasir Shah, in the latest addition to the star-studded MCC lineup against their match against Afghanistan who would set foot in hallowed turfs of the Lord’s for the first time in their cricketing careers. The MCC side will be headed by Kiwi legend Brendon McCullum while other prominent names in the side are Kumar Sangakkara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The match is scheduled on July 11 as a 50-over contest.

Afghanistan is the latest team to achieve Test status along with Ireland. Yasir Shah, who has taken 149 Test wickets in 26 matches, has most recently been playing for Kent in the Specsavers County Championship and joins fellow Pakistan International Misbah-ul-Haq in facing Afghanistan at the Home of Cricket on July 11th. Afghanistan too has few big names to watch out for and they include spinner Rashid Khan and all-rounder Mohammad Nabi amongst their ranks, who both featured for Sunrisers Hyderabad in this year’s IPL campaign.

Stephenson expects good crowd for the match

Brendon McCullum who is currently playing for Middlesex in the NatWest T20 Blast, with MCC’s side also containing England all-rounder Samit Patel and former England wicketkeeper Chris Read, both of whom recently tasted victory at Lord’s in winning the Royal London One-Day Cup.

“Yasir joins the MCC team as the final piece in the jigsaw for this match and we are delighted he is able to play in this historic fixture.” commented the MCC Head of Cricket John Stephenson, according to the Website of Lord’s. “With Afghanistan having recently been awarded Test match status, it is fitting that they will make their Lord’s debut in this match and we hope that many of their UK-based supporters are able to see them in action,” concluded Stephenson. A similar fixture last year saw MCC beaten by Nepal in front of a crowd of nearly 6,000 at Lord’s.