Wahab Riaz: “Haseebullah has been [on] our radar too and we have our eyes on him but currently, both Mohammad Rizwan and Sarfaraz Ahmed have done well so we will be continuing with them”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Pakistan chief selector Wahab Riaz has made it clear that Mohammad Rizwan and Sarfaraz Ahmed will continue being prioritised over up-and-coming wicketkeeper-batsman Haseebullah Khan.

Haseebullah has been a solid performer in domestic cricket as he made 187 runs in seven matches for Multan Region in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which included a top score of 101, at an average of 26.71.

He followed that up with 326 runs in seven games in the Pakistan Cup, which included two centuries and a fifty, at an average of 65.20.

Most recently, he played in the National T20 Cup and accumulated 80 runs in three matches at an average of 80 and a strike-rate of 111.11.

“Haseebullah has been [on] our radar too and we have our eyes on him but currently, both Mohammad Rizwan and Sarfaraz Ahmed have done well so we will be continuing with them. We will, of course, tap into the domestic resources whenever the need arises,” Wahab was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

Haseebullah is not part of Pakistan’s squad for the ongoing three-match Test series against Australia, but he could make his international debut in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which gets underway on January 12 in Auckland.

Pakistan are 2-0 down in their series against Australia and will look to claim a consolation win in the third Test, which starts on January 3 in Sydney.

Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pakistan Squad for New Zealand T20I Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan

MORE PAKISTAN CRICKET NEWS: Hoping he grows into the role, Shan Masood wants Pakistan all-rounder to step up and take his chance

[TS_Poll id=”56″]