Shan Masood: “The opening combination of Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique has been representing Pakistan for more than a year now. They have given a lot of performances”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood said he plans to stick with Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq as the go-to openers.
He noted that the duo have performed well on numerous occasions and doesn’t want to break the partnership up as it could cause more harm than good.
In the three-match Test series against Australia, which Pakistan lost 3-0, Shafique made 110 runs, which included a top score of 62, at an average of 18.33.
Imam, meanwhile, scored 94 runs in two Tests, which also included a top score of 62, at an average of 23.50.
“Our Test team has been a settled unit. The opening combination of Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique has been representing Pakistan for more than a year now. They have given a lot of performances,” Masood was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which gets underway 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