Shahnawaz Dahani: “I toured West Indies and Zimbabwe with the Test sides. I have played white-ball formats but, unfortunately, I have not represented Pakistan in Test cricket yet”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan pace bowler Shahnawaz Dahani is determined to get into the Test team and make his debut in the near future.
The 25-year-old has represented his country in two ODIs and 11 T20Is to date, but last played an international match in October 2022.
Dahani has been looking to revive his international career by performing well in domestic cricket, which he has done this season.
The Larkana native was the third-highest wicket-taker in the President’s Trophy Grade-I first-class competition with 25 victims in four matches for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited at an average of 15.16.
He then featured for the Multan Sultans in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and picked up one wicket in four games at an average of 97 and an economy rate of 10.77.
Most recently, he was in action in the President’s Cup Grade-I (1-Day) tournament and finished as the highest wicket-taker with 19 wickets in seven matches for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited at an average of 16.47.
Having impressed at the domestic level, Dahani feels he is ready to return to the Pakistan team.
“I toured West Indies and Zimbabwe with the Test sides. I have played white-ball formats but, unfortunately, I have not represented Pakistan in Test cricket yet. I have always given preference to domestic cricket because domestic performance is the only gateway towards national side. I feel happy whenever first-class season starts because the performance will automatically bring the eyeballs of PCB selection committee on me,” he told Geo News.
The Pakistan team recently faced New Zealand in a five-match T20I series, which ended as a 2-2 draw.
They then beat Ireland 2-1 in a three-match T20I series.
Next up for them will be four T20Is against England from May 22 to May 30.
After that, the men in green will be involved in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
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