Pakistan team players have been called up for a training camp ahead of the home New Zealand tour, starting on April 14 in Lahore.
The players have been directed to report camp commandant Abdul Rehman and his assistant Umar Gul in the camp on April 7 in Lahore.
A four-day camp will conclude on April 10. According to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), all outstation players will report today. However, Abdullah Shafique and Faheem Ashraf will join the team on April 7. Opening batter Fakhar Zaman will come on April 10.
Babar Azam’s side will take on New Zealand in five T20Is and five ODIs from 14 April to 7 May in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi respectively.
Pakistan's regular players including captain Babar have returned to the side after resting during the recently concluded Afghanistan T20I series. Shaheen Shah Afridi is all set to return to international cricket after four months.
Shaheen had missed five Tests and three ODIs against England and New Zealand post the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 as he was completing his knee rehabilitation.
Apart from Shaheen, also returning to both the squads are Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan.
Shadab Khan, who captained the national side against Afghanistan, will return to his vice-captain position. This means Babar Azam will resume his normal services as captain in the ODI and T20I series against New Zealand.
Three young guns — Ihsanullah, Saim Ayub and Zaman Khan — have been retained in the T20I squad following stellar performances in Sharjah, while Ihsanullah has also been added to the ODI squad for the first time in his career.
Squads
T20I: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Zaman Khan
ODI: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Usama Mir. Reserves: Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Tayyab Tahir
Series schedule (T20Is to start at 9pm; ODIs to begin at 3.30pm):
14 Apr – 1st T20I, Lahore
15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Lahore
17 Apr – 3rd T20I, Lahore
20 Apr – 4th T20I, Rawalpindi
24 Apr – 5th T20I, Rawalpindi
27 Apr – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi
29 Apr – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
3 May – 3rd ODI, Karachi
5 May – 4th ODI, Karachi
7 May – 5th ODI, Karachi