Pakistan Cricket Archives

WATCH: Pakistan cricketers react to Arshad Nadeem’s historic Olympic victory

Pakistan’s star athlete Arshad Nadeem made the nation proud as he bagged a historic gold medal with the longest throw of 92.97 meters in the javelin final of the Paris Olympics 2024.

He ended the country’s 32-year medal drought and set the Olympic record with a 92.97m throw. The whole country, including Pakistani cricketers, couldn’t contain their joy when Arshad Nadeem etched his name in the history books.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a video on their social media platforms, showing Pakistan Shaheens’ players cheering the 27-year-old athlete while watching the javelin throw event.

Arshad made his record-breaking 92.97m throw in his second attempt after he failed to make a mark in his first attempt as it was deemed as “No Throw”.

After his victory, social media platforms were flooded with fans and Pakistan cricketers pouring in their congratulations towards the star javelin thrower.

Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam congratulated Arshad for making the nation proud, while pace bowler Haris Rauf called him an inspiration for the nation.

“After 30 long years, the gold is back in Pakistan! Huge congratulations to @arshadnadeem29 for this incredible achievement. You’ve made the entire nation proud,” Babar Azam posted on X.

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“92.97!! You’ve inspired a nation! You deserve every moment of this glory,” Haris Rauf posted.

Meanwhile, legendary pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar shared a video on his social media platforms and praised Arshad Nadeem highly for his historic achievement.

“Out of nowhere, this son of a lion has won Pakistan a gold medal. What a man you are Arshad! You have achieved this on your own, with your own hard work and calibre,” said Akhtar.

“Many congratulations to you Arshad, and the whole of Pakistan. The entire mood of the country has changed with 1 gold medal. Just because of one guy, Arshad has got Pakistan trending across the whole world.”

Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed also lauded the javelin thrower for winning the gold medal through a story on his Instagram account.

“@ArshadOlympian1, you’ve made us proud by winning not only a Gold medal but also our first Olympic medal in 32 years and that too with a record-breaking throw. You’ve shown the world what we’re capable of,” Sarfaraz posted.

On the other hand, fast bowler Naseem Shah stated that he stayed awake to watch Arshad Nadeem’s event and it was worth the sacrifice while all-rounder Shadab Khan also extended heartful congratulations.

“It was worth staying up late to watch @ArshadOlympian1 win GOLD with an Olympic record… 92.97!! You’ve made history as the first individual athlete from Pakistan to win gold. Every Pakistani is proud of you, inspiring the next generation,” Naseem Shah posted on X.

” 92.97= GOLD. This is perhaps the biggest individual achievement by a Pakistani athlete. The entire nation is proud of Arshad Nadeem. Thank you for representing our country the way u have, thank u for bringing hope. Champion of champions,” Shadab posted.

READ: Neeraj Chopra’s mother reacts to Arshad Nadeem’s Paris Olympics victory

PCB introduces three Champions tournaments for 2024-25 domestic season

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the addition of three Champions tournaments as part of the Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 on Monday.

These tournaments have been announced to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket, provide a tougher, more competitive and high-pressure cricket playing environment, and create better and enhanced earning opportunities for its future stars.

The Champions One-Day Cup, Champions T20 Cup and Champions First-Class Cup will join the National T20 Cup, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (regional first-class tournament), President’s Trophy (departmental first-class tournament), President’s Cup (departmental 50-over event), and HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 in the 2024-25 domestic cricket season, expected to run from 1 September 2024 to 5 August 2025.

With the addition of three Champions tournaments, the PCB will now organise a total of 261 matches across eight men’s senior tournaments.

This includes 131 first-class matches in three events, 40 50-over matches in two events and 97 T20 matches in three events.

In the 2023-24 season, the PCB had organised 203 matches in the six men’s senior tournaments, including 51 first-class matches in two tournaments, 55 50-over matches in two events and 97 T20 matches.

Salient features of the newly-introduced Champions tournaments are:

Five sides – Dolphins, Lions, Panthers, Stallions and Wolves – will compete in each Champions Cup event

Each Champions Cup event will be played in a double-league format

Around 150 of the country’s highest-performing domestic players from the past three years and centrally contracted players will be available for selection (more details to be shared in due course)

Each side will have a former Pakistan superstar as a mentor and potentially as an owner (mentor and owner names/details to be announced in due course)

Player support personnel of each side are expected to include: Head Coach (at least Level 3, minimum five years with a first-class side), batting/bowling/fielding coaches (minimum Level 3, three-year experience), Strength and Conditioning Coach, Physiotherapist, Analyst, Operations Manager, and Media/Digital Media Manager

Each side will be allocated a dedicated Regional High-Performance Centre in Faisalabad (High-Performance Centre Faisalabad), Karachi (Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre), Lahore (National Cricket Academy), Multan (Inzamam-ul-Haq High-Performance Centre), and Sialkot (High-Performance Centre, Sialkot) for training and practice

Enhanced domestic contracts will be offered to 150 cricketers as Category 1: 40 players, PKR550,000 per month; Category 2: 50 players, PKR400,000 per month; Category 3: 60 players, PKR250,000 per month.
In the 2023-24 season, domestic contracts were offered as PKR300,000 for A+ Category, PKR200,000 for A Category, PKR185,000 for B Category, PKR170,000 for C Category, PKR150,000 for D Category, PKR100,000 for E Category, and PKR50,000 for F Category

In addition to the monthly retainers, players will receive improved match fees as follows: PKR200,000 for red-ball cricket, PKR125,000 for 50-over matches and PKR100,000 for T20 matches.
In the 2023-24 season, match fees were PKR80,000 and PKR40,000 for red and white-ball cricket, respectively

Each side will have a Corporate Sponsor and Media Partner. Other revenue streams will include broadcast and live-streaming rights, event title sponsorship, ground branding rights and ticket sales/merchandise

The Champions One-Day Cup will serve as the season opener of the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 when the 21-match tournament is played from 1-29 September.

Curtains will fall on the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 with the Champions First-Class Cup, which will be held from 28 May to 5 August.

In addition to the eight men’s senior tournaments in the period from August 2024 to September 2025, the PCB will also organise 11 development/pathway tournaments which will be separate from the three Pakistan Shaheens and one Pakistan U19 away series.

This potentially means the budding and upcoming youngsters are expected to get around 13,000 matches at the schools, colleges, universities, clubs, U15, U17, U19, Regional Inter-District Senior and Challenge League Senior levels across all formats to test their skills, impress their coaches and selectors with their performances, make themselves available for selection in the regional, departmental, franchise and Champions sides and, in the meantime, continue to walk up the ladder in pursuit of their dreams.

While announcing the new domestic structure, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi referred to the introduction of the Champions Tournament as a bold move to guide Pakistan cricket in the right direction.

“Our current standings – sixth in Tests, fourth in ODIs and seventh in T20Is – do not reflect the true potential and legacy of Pakistan cricket,” said Naqvi.

“To restore our rightful place at the top of world cricket, we must innovate and strategically enhance, expand and strengthen our domestic structure. The introduction of the three Champions tournaments is a bold step in this direction.

He also shared that international players would also participate in these tournaments, which will help transfer their extensive experience and knowledge to young players.

“The Champions tournaments will bring together our most talented and consistent performers from domestic cricket with our centrally contracted players, creating an environment that mirrors the intensity of international cricket,” he added.

“With broadcast matches, legendary mentors, elite coaching staff and extensive media coverage, these tournaments will provide our players with the exposure and experience they need.

“These tournaments are not just about bridging the gap between domestic and international cricket, they are about revolutionising and rejuvenating our entire cricketing ecosystem.

“By establishing a clear and progressive pathway from clubs, schools and universities to intra-district, inter-district, to regional/department competitions, we are nurturing the next generation of cricketing stars.

“The Champions tournaments will offer our players a platform to experience the rigours and pressures of international cricket right here at home. This is crucial for building a robust and highly competitive domestic structure that consistently produces world-class talent.

“I am incredibly optimistic about the future of Pakistan cricket. The investments we are making through the Champions tournaments will pay immense dividends. We are dedicated to identifying, nurturing and preparing our best talent to represent Pakistan on the global stage.”

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Younis Khan reacts to Waqar Younis getting major position in PCB

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan reacted to the reports of Waqar Younis getting a major role in the ranks of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Reports emerged on Tuesday that PCB Mohsin Naqvi has decided to hand over the power to make cricket decisions to Waqar.

The sources further claimed that Naqvi would oversee the administrative affairs only, while Waqar would be responsible for all the decisions regarding international and domestic selection committees, players’ No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and other important cricket matters.

According to the PCB Constitution 2014, the chairman has the authority to delegate his power to someone, thereby enabling the transfer of powers to Waqar.

Meanwhile, Younis Khan, during an interaction with the media here on Wednesday, backed PCB Chairman Naqvi’s decision to hand the reigns of the cricket affairs to Waqar Younis.

“I’ve played under Waqar Younis and I think it’s a good sign that he’s coming back to the cricket board,” said Younis.

“Waqar Younis has the opportunity to solve the [cricketing] issues,” he added.

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Younis further commented on the recent dip in the Pakistan men’s cricket team’s performance and emphasized the need to improve the infrastructure.

“Pakistan’s performance used to be on the top in the past. I think we need to work on our infrastructure,” Younis said.

The former captain, who led Pakistan to their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2009, also called for the resumption of the bilateral cricketing ties between fierce rivals Pakistan and India.

“Pakistan-India cricket should go ahead. I wish someone like Pervez Musharraf would come and restore Pak-India cricket,” said Younis.

Younis Khan also expressed his desire for India to visit Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

He also highlighted that the Pakistan team was always treated with respect whenever they visited India.

“I wish to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli playing in Pakistan [in Champions Trophy 2025]. Whenever we toured India, we were treated with utmost respect,” he concluded.

READ: Former Pakistan cricketer calls for relocation of Asia Cup 2025 from India

WATCH: Zaman Khan carries out unique ‘mud training’

Pakistan’s young fast bowler Zaman Khan has been spotted participating in an unconventional ‘mud training’ regimen recently as part of his efforts to enhance his physical strength and overall fitness.

Zaman shared a video on his official Instagram account, showing himself engaging in the mud training. The 22-year-old pacer can be seen running, diving and performing push-ups in the mud, showing his commitment to improving his fitness.

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A post shared by Zaman Khan (@real_zamankhan)

Zaman Khan recently returned home after his stunt with Seattle Orcas in the Major League Cricket (MCL) 2024, where he took four wickets in four matches.

The pace bowler is gearing up for a busy cricket season for Pakistan as they are scheduled to play nine ODIs and nine T20Is in the latter part of the year.

During a brief international career, Zaman has played 10 T20I and one ODI game, taking seven wickets. However, he is a mainstay in franchise T20 leagues across the globe, having taken 122 wickets in 97 appearances.

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Prior to the white-ball games on away tours, the Pakistan cricket team, is set to host Bangladesh for a two-match Test series from 21 August to 3 September.

Pakistan will then host England for three Tests in Multan (7-11 October), Karachi (15-19 October) and Rawalpindi (24-28 October), and the West Indies will visit for two Tests in Karachi (16-20 January) and Multan (24-28 January).

Additionally, Pakistan will host an ODI tri-series, featuring New Zealand and South Africa, scheduled in Multan from 8-14 February.

READ: Key Pakistan pacer unlikely to feature in Bangladesh Test series

‘If not him, who else should be captain?’ Former Pakistan skipper backs Babar Azam

Former Pakistan Younis Khan has thrown his weight behind current national white-ball captain Babar Azam, pointing out the lack of captaincy options in the country.

Babar Azam has been under fire following Pakistan’s lacklustre ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, where they got knocked out from the group stage.

Many fans and critics have attributed the Green Shirts’ disastrous performance to Babar’s captaincy and called for his removal as captain.

However, Younis Khan disagreed with the notion, highlighting the country’s inadequate cricket infrastructure. He blamed it for not preparing backup players to replace the struggling players.

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“We give our views very quickly. If we talk about our current team, the players don’t have a fault. Instead, I will blame the infrastructure. If we don’t have the back-up, how will you replace the (out of form) players?” Younis said during an interview with a local news channel.

He defended Babar and shifted the blame on previous management and selection committees for not building players who could lead the team.

“We generally speak that Babar Azam should not be the captain. If not Babar Azam, who else should be the captain? That’s not Babar Azam’s fault,” he added.

“Neither this is the current selection committee’s fault. This is the fault of something that happened 5-6 years back. We should have built our bench strength,” Younis Khan concluded.

It is worth noting that in the aftermath of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup debacle, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sacked Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz from selection committee, while the latter also lost his job as senior team manager. Meanwhile, team manager Mansoor Rana was also removed from the post.

READ: Former Pakistan pacer calls Gautam Gambhir ‘parchi’ case

Abdul Razzaq opens up after being sacked as selector

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has recently reacted over his sacking as the national men’s and women’s selector.

Razzaq, along with former pacer Wahab Riaz, was expelled from the seven-member Pakistan Men’s Cricket Selection Committee on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later confirmed through a statement that Razzaq will not continue in his role as women’s selector as well.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed that it has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup. Abdul Razzaq was a member of the men’s and women’s selection committee, while Wahab was a member of the men’s selection committee” the statement said.

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The former all-rounder took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, raising questions over the reports circulating in the media.

“If all were given equal power how can one vote overpower the other 6 in the selection committee ??” Abdul Razzaq posted.

Notably, Wahab Riaz also raised a similar question in his post yesterday after he was removed as the senior team manager as well.

“I don’t agree with the statements being discussed about adding pressure to the members of the selection committee, how can 1 vote dominate 6? Everything is documented on record in the meeting minutes,” Wahab posted.

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PCB conducts fitness tests of players across Pakistan

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is conducting fitness tests, for the first time ever in 104 districts across the 16 regions in the country. Over 2,300 players are appearing in the ongoing countrywide fitness tests.

These tests are being conducted as per the Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi’s vision for incorporating a culture of fitness at the grassroots level.

In order to assemble the squads for the Regional Inter District Senior Tournament 2024-25, 23 players in each district have been shortlisted after the Challenge Cup that took place in April and May 2024.

These 23 players in each district are undergoing strenuous fitness and strength testing under the watchful eye of the respective district and regional coaches and trainers.

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The players after passing the fitness test will then be summoned for a 45-day camp in their respective districts leading to the Inter District Senior Tournament in September.

“The PCB has decided to conduct fitness tests at the district level instead of the regional level starting from this domestic season,” said Abdullah Khurram Niazi, the director of Domestic Cricket Operations.

“This initiative will surely push the players to prioritise their fitness right from the start and the culture will then expand to other domestic competitions. With more fitter players participating in the tournaments, the quality of cricket will also increase.”

READ: Two players fined by PCB for Code of Conduct breach

Pakistan to play ODI tri-series amid home international season 2024-25

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday, announced the details of men’s 2024-25 home international cricket season which features three Test series and the national team’s first ODI tri-series in 21 years in the lead-up to the eight-team ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on home turf.

In the curtain-raiser series of the 2024-25 home international season, Bangladesh will play two Tests in Rawalpindi (21-25 August) and Karachi (30 August-3 September).

The international season will culminate with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, proposed for 9 March.

In between, Pakistan will host England for three Tests in Multan (7-11 October), Karachi (15-19 October) and Rawalpindi (24-28 October), and the West Indies will visit for two Tests in Karachi (16-20 January) and Multan (24-28 January).

Additionally, Pakistan will host an ODI tri-series, featuring New Zealand and South Africa, scheduled in Multan from 8-14 February.

Bangladesh last played a Test in Pakistan in February 2020, while England swept the three-Test series in December 2022. The 2025 series will also mark the West Indies’ first Test tour to Pakistan since November 2006 when Brian Lara captained the side against Inzamam-ul-Haq men.

Pakistan last hosted the West Indies for a Test series in October 2016 in the United Arab Emirates.

Apart from the home international fixtures, the men’s team will tour Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa from 4 November to 7 January, playing two Tests, nine ODIs and nine T20Is.

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In the period from August 2024 to March 2025, the Pakistan men’s cricket team will play nine Tests, nine T20Is and, at least, 14 ODIs. The number of ODIs may increase based on their performance in the ODI tri-series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Alongside international cricket, the PCB will be involved in planning and delivering an expanded and more competitive PCB Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25, as well as women’s domestic and international cricket events and competitions. The HBL Pakistan Super League 2025 is also being planned for April/May 2025.

The nine Tests against Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies will be part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. To date, Pakistan has played five Tests in two series against Sri Lanka and Australia, winning two and losing three.

This has placed them in fifth position on the points table with 22 points. India leads the table with 74 points after three series, followed by Australia (90 points from four series), New Zealand (36 points from three series), and Sri Lanka (24 points from two series).

With each of the top nine Test-playing nations scheduled to play six series (three home and three away) in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle, strong performances in the upcoming four series could put Pakistan in contention for a place in the final, scheduled for Lord’s in June 2025.

Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi will share the seven Tests and four ODIs between them. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium is currently undergoing redesign and redevelopment work as part of preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but is expected to be ready to stage most of the high-profile matches from 19 February to 9 March. The ICC will announce further details of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in due course.

SCHEDULE OF PAKISTAN’S HOME INTERNATIONAL MATCHES IN 2024-25:

Bangladesh in Pakistan (Two Tests)

21-25 Aug – First Test, Rawalpindi

30 Aug-3 Sep – Second Test, Karachi

England in Pakistan (Three Tests)

7-11 Oct – First Test, Multan

15-19 Oct – Second Test, Karachi

24-28 Oct – Third Test, Rawalpindi

West Indies in Pakistan (Two Tests)

16-20 Jan – First Test, Karachi

24-28 Jan – Second Test, Multan

New Zealand and South Africa in Pakistan (ODI tri-series)

8 Feb – Pakistan v New Zealand, Multan

10 Feb – New Zealand v South Africa, Multan

12 Feb – Pakistan v South Africa, Multan

14 Feb – Final, Multan

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (Schedule to be announced by the ICC; participating teams are: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa)

19 Feb-Opening match

9 Mar – Final

SCHEDULE OF PAKISTAN’S AWAY INTERNATIONAL MATCHES IN 2024-25:

Pakistan to Australia (three ODIs, three T20Is)

4 Nov – First ODI, Melbourne

8 Nov – Second ODI, Adelaide

10 Nov – Third ODI, Perth

14 Nov – First T20I, Brisbane

16 Nov – Second T20I, Sydney

18 Nov – Third T20I, Hobart

Pakistan to Zimbabwe (three ODIs, three T20Is)

24 Nov – First ODI, Bulawayo

26 Nov – Second ODI, Bulawayo

28 Nov – Third ODI, Bulawayo

1 Dec – First T20I, Bulawayo

3 Dec – Second T20I, Bulawayo

5 Dec – Third T20I, Bulawayo

Pakistan to South Africa (Three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests)

10 Dec – First T20I, Durban

13 Dec – Second T20I, Centurion

14 Dec – Third T20I, Johannesburg

17 Dec – First ODI, Paarl

19 Dec – Second ODI, Cape Town

22 Dec – Third ODI, Johannesburg

26-30 Dec – First Test, Centurion

3-7 Jan – Second Test, Cape Town

READ: ICC unveils nominees for Player of the Month awards for June

PCB makes major decision to prioritize domestic cricket

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to make it a must for players to participate in domestic cricket for their selection in the national team.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on Monday, PCB said in a press release.

The meeting occurred following Pakistan’s horror run at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. The Men in Green were eliminated from the marquee event in the group stage following two losses to the United States of America (USA) and India.

During the meeting, participants focused on strengthening domestic cricket in the country as Mohsin Naqvi gave principled approval to the plan aimed at promoting quality domestic cricket.

The PCB chairman announced a plan to organise domestic tournaments from the club level to the national level.

While directing PCB officials to groom domestic players, he emphasised the need for experienced coaches to train the new talent to enhance their skills.

“Performance, fitness, and merit will be the key criteria for advancing players,” Naqvi said.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board will hold tournaments for all three formats of the game to promote quality domestic cricket in the 2024-25 season.

In a move to improve the standard of coaching, the PCB will appoint a master coach to train domestic cricket coaches.

According to the PCB, the participants of the meeting agreed that the selection criteria for the national team will be based on performance and fitness showcased in the domestic events.

The meeting participants also reviewed the domestic cricket structures of various high-performing cricket nations.

Earlier this month, Naqvi had said the defeat against India was disappointing in every way and that the team needed a major surgery.

“It seemed that a minor surgery would suffice for the Pakistan cricket team, but after the extremely poor performance, it has become clear that the team needs major surgery,” the PCB chairman said during a press conference after Pakistan’s defeat to India on June 9.

READ: Michael Vaughan labels Afghanistan ‘second best Asian team’

Pakistan cricketers’ physical fitness camp at Kakul concludes

The national men’s cricket team’s physical fitness camp, under the supervision of the Pakistan Army, in Kakul, Abbottabad, was concluded on Saturday.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Iftikhar Ahmed shared footage of national cricketers having a fun time at a peak. The all-rounder termed the camp challenging while also lauding the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the initiative.

“The conclusion of an amazing, yet challenging camp in Kakul. A great initiative by the PCB to help raise the fitness standards and team building exercises,” wrote Iftikhar.

The conclusion of an amazing, yet challenging camp in Kakul. A great initiative by the PCB to help raise the fitness standards and team building exercises. pic.twitter.com/Z6xjuNDoDO

— Iftikhar Ahmad (@IftiMania) April 6, 2024

A total of 29 players participated in the physical fitness camp, which commenced on March 26 to boast the national team’s preparation for the five-match home T20I series against New Zealand.

Pakistan Players taking part in the Physical fitness camp in Kakul are:

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Haseebullah, Saud Shakeel, Usman Khan, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Irfan Khan Niazi, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mehran Mumtaz, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Ali, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Aamir Jamal, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Amir.

New Zealand are slated to reach Pakistan on April 14 for the crucial series, leading to the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup.

Rawalpindi’s Pindi Cricket Stadium will host the first three T20Is between Pakistan and New Zealand on 18, 20 and 21 April.

The two sides will then travel to Lahore to lock horns in the remaining two T20Is on 25 and 27 April, respectively.

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