Tag: Pakistan Squad for Asia Cup 2023

Pakistan team reaches Multan for Asia Cup 2023

MULTAN: The Pakistan team has reached Multan for the upcoming ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023, which will be played from August 30 to September 17 in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The team management has provided relaxation to the players who participated in the Lankan Premier League, consequently, Babar, Imam-ul-Haq and Naseem Shah will join the side on Monday evening.

The team will relax tomorrow, and kick off their training for the Asia Cup on Tuesday, 29 August at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Before the start of the session, the Pakistan captain will hold a pre-series media conference.

https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1695765959108411679

Pakistan made a change to their Asia Cup squad yesterday, as left-handed batter Saud Shakeel was added to the 17-member squad, while Tayyab Tahir was demoted to the travelling reserves.

This year’s Asia Cup will kick off with host Pakistan taking on Nepal in the curtain raiser on August 30 in Multan.

Pakistan will host a total of four matches including a Super 4s fixture.

India’s group stage matches including the anticipated clash against Pakistan, scheduled on September 2, will be held in Kandy while the rest of the Super 4s matches, including the final will be played in Colombo.

The arch-rivals Pakistan and India will come face to face again on September 10 in Colombo if both manage to qualify for the Super 4s.

Like the previous edition, the Asia Cup schedule holds a possibility of treating the cricket fans with a maximum of three Pakistan-India matches in a single tournament if both arch-rivals, in a first, simultaneously qualify for the final.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup features six teams, divided into two groups, the top two teams from each group will then qualify for the Super 4s. The continental event will run from August 31 to September 17.

Hosts Pakistan are placed in the same group as arch-rivals India and Nepal while the other group includes defending champions and co-hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The Asia Cup 2023 will be played in the ODI format and will serve as an opportunity for the Asian teams to bolster their preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir

Traveling reserve: Tayyab Tahir

READ: Major blow to Sri Lanka as Hasaranga, Chameera ruled out of Asia Cup

Aaqib Javed rates Zaman Khan over Naseem Shah in white-ball cricket

Former test cricketer Aaqib Javed has rated Zaman Khan ‘higher than’ Naseem Shah in white-ball cricket, voicing his displeasure over the former missing out on a spot in Pakistan’s squad for the series against Afghanistan and the Asia Cup.

Aaqib Javed, while talking to media in Lahore on Wednesday, claimed that Zaman Khan’s skill to bowl in the final phase of the innings is second to none, and he is one of the best death-overs specialist bowlers in the world right now.

“In white-ball, I still believe Zaman Khan’s skills are above all. We have recently seen him in the Canada league, no bowler is near to him when it comes to bowling in death overs,” he said.

Aaqib Javed then rated Zaman higher than Naseem Shah, who is the first-choice bowler for Pakistan in white-ball cricket.

“I rate him more than even Naseem. Your first three choices in white-ball cricket must be Shaheen, Haris, and Zaman, you can then go down to Naseem Shah,” he added.

Aaqib Javed then humorously acknowledged the fact that the trio he named belongs to Lahore Qalandars, the PSL team Aaqib is associated with as the director and head Coach.

“You’ll say that I’m only rooting for the bowlers from Lahore Qalandars [laughs]. But Shaheen, Haris and Zaman, they should be your bowlers in white-ball cricket” he added.

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the head of the national men’s selection committee, announced the squads on Wednesday in a press conference. Responding to a question about the exclusion of Zaman Khan, the former captain said, “Zaman Khan has done well with the white ball but he lacks experience in 50-over games,”

He further added, “He does have the potential as we have seen in T20 games where he has performed well. So he will become a good asset for Pakistan if he plays more first-class games.”

Zaman Khan, recently played for Toronto Nationals in the recently concluded GT20 Canada, where he picked up seven wickets, while Naseem Shah, playing for Colombo Strikers is the joint-leading wicket-taker with eight wickets in the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL).

READ: Inzamam-ul-Haq opens up on Faheem Ashraf’s inclusion in Asia Cup squad