Shan Masood: “We have got two top first-class performers like Mir Hamza who is a left-arm bowler, he has also played some county cricket, played a couple of Test matches. We have got Khurram Shahzad who was the highest wicket-taker in our domestic season”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood believes the pace duo of Mir Hamza and Khurram Shahzad are “top first-class performers.”
Masood utilised both bowlers in the three-match Test series against Australia, with Shahzad making his debut in the first Test in Perth and showing a lot of promise as he took five wickets in total.
However, the 24-year-old from Mandi Bahauddin was ruled out for the remainder of the series after being diagnosed with a rib stress fracture and abdominal muscle tear.
As for Hamza, he finished with seven wickets in two Tests at an average of 20.71.
Knowing full well what both fast bowlers are capable of, Masood seemingly has plans to stick with them going forward.
“We have got two top first-class performers like Mir Hamza who is a left-arm bowler, he has also played some county cricket, played a couple of Test matches. We have got Khurram Shahzad who was the highest wicket-taker in our domestic season,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan lost the Test series against Australia 3-0 and will now be involved in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which begins on January 12 in Auckland.
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