LAHORE: The selectors could announce the squad for Pakistan’s home T20I series against New Zealand on Tuesday, according to sources.
The 18-member squad was supposed to be revealed today but that has now been delayed since the players will attend an iftar dinner hosted by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir tonight.
The squad will assemble in Islamabad on April 14 ahead of the series against New Zealand.
Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan Niazi, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Zaman Khan are expected to be part of the squad.
Agha Salman, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Abbas Afridi are also likely to be included in the 18-member contingent.
One of Abrar Ahmed and Usama Mir will also be included in the squad for the series.
Pacer Haris Rauf, who suffered a shoulder injury during Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine, isn’t fully fit and won’t be part of the squad.
The Pakistan coaching staff for the series against New Zealand will also be announced in a day or two.
The two teams will play three T20Is at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on 18, 20 and 21 April. Following that, both sides will move to Lahore, where they will play the remaining two T20Is of the series on 25 and 27 April, respectively.
On the other hand, the New Zealand squad, led by Michael Bracewell, will depart for Pakistan on Friday (April 12).
Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner and Kane Williamson won’t feature in the series due to Indian Premier League commitments.
New Zealand T20I squad for Pakistan tour
Michael Bracewell (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert (WK), Ish Sodhi
Sohail Imran Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.