Aaqib Javed: “They remain some of our finest talents with much more to contribute to Pakistan cricket. We are fully committed to supporting them during this period so they can come back even stronger”
Image courtesy of: Unsplash
Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed threw his support behind Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah after they were removed from the squad midway through the recent three-Test series against England.
All three of them only featured in the first Test in Multan before being released for the second and third Tests.
Despite not having three of their best players, Pakistan ended up beating England 2-1, which gave them their first Test series win on home soil since 2021.
Many former cricketers questioned the decision to exclude the trio from the second and third Tests, but Aaqib stressed the need for it and expressed confidence that Azam, Afridi and Naseem will “come back even stronger”.
“They remain some of our finest talents with much more to contribute to Pakistan cricket. We are fully committed to supporting them during this period so they can come back even stronger,” he was quoted as saying in a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) press release.
Pakistan are now taking on Australia in a limited overs series that consists of three ODIs and three T20Is.
Following this, they will head to Zimbabwe to play three ODIs and three T20Is from November 24 to December 5.
Pakistan Squad for Australia ODI Series:Â Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan Squad for Australia T20I Series:Â Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe ODI Series:Â Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir
Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe T20I Series:Â Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan
MORE PAKISTAN CRICKET NEWS: Well played, Babar Azam praises special Pakistan batting talent