Azam Khan could make his international debut soon
Image courtesy of: Pakistan Cricket Board
Uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan has earned his maiden call-up to the Pakistan team for the tour of England and the West Indies.
Azam, who is the son of former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Moin Khan, has been included in the T20 squad after impressing a lot of people with his strong performances in domestic cricket.
In the Pakistan Cup, the 22-year-old accumulated 186 runs in seven games for Sindh, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 46.50 and a strike-rate of 124.83.
As for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he scored 98 runs in five matches for the Quetta Gladiators at an average of 19.60 and a strike-rate of 144.11.
Meanwhile, pace bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah are back in the Test squad after missing out on the home series against South Africa and the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Middle order batsman Haris Sohail has also returned to the ODI squad after last playing for Pakistan during their tour of New Zealand at the beginning of the year.
As for Imad, he regained his place in the T20 team and last represented his country in December 2020.
Pace bowler Tabish Khan and batsman Agha Salman were dropped from the Test squad, but Salman is part of the ODI side.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also confirmed that spinner Yasir Shah’s inclusion in the Test team is subject to him making a full recovery from the knee injury that sidelined him for the Test series against Zimbabwe.
“We have remained consistent in our selection and kept the same core of cricketers who have been in the set-up for a while,” chief selector Mohammad Wasim was quoted as saying in the PCB’s press release.
“This is an extremely important and critical tour for Pakistan as we will be playing the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League ODIs against England as well as the T20Is against England and the West Indies as part of our preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The Jamaica Test will count towards the ICC World Test Championship.”
Pakistan will play three ODIs and three T20 Internationals against England. The ODI series will begin on July 8 and conclude on July 13, while the T20 series will be held from July 16 to 20.
The tour of the West Indies will consist of five T20 Internationals and two Tests, with the T20 series getting underway on July 27 and ending on August 3.
As for the Test series, it will start on August 12 and conclude on August 24.
Pakistan Test Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dhani, Yasir Shah (subject to fitness) and Zahid Mahmood
Pakistan ODI Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Qadir
Pakistan T20 Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Arshad Iqbal, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan and Usman Qadir
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