The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its 15-player squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 on Friday, May 24.
Babar Azam will lead the team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup set to take place in the USA and the Caribbean from June 1st to 29th.
According to a press release, the player support staff includes Wahab Riaz as the senior team manager, with Mansoor Rana as the team manager.
Gary Kirsten serves as the head coach, supported by Azhar Mahmood as the assistant coach and Simon Helmot as the fielding coach.
The squad selection was finalized following a two-hour selection committee meeting attended by various cricketing personalities, including Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Bilal Afzal, Gary Kirsten, Mohammad Yousuf, and Wahab Riaz.
Five players, Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Saim Ayub, and Usman Khan, are set to make their debut in the T20 World Cup, while Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim return after their last appearances in the 2016 and 2021 tournaments, respectively.
The statement added, "This is an extremely talented and balanced side that has a mixture of youth and experience. These players have been playing together for some time and look well prepared and settled for next month’s event."
It further added, "Haris Rauf is fully fit and bowling well in the nets. It would have been nice if he had gotten an outing at Headingley, but we remain confident that he will continue to maintain an upward trajectory in the upcoming matches, as he will have an important role to play along with other strike bowlers in the T20 World Cup."
Moreover, Pakistan has a strong history in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, having won the 2009 event and reaching the finals twice under Shoaib Malik in 2007 and Babar Azam in 2022.
The team has also reached the semi-finals in 2010, 2012, and 2021.
Pakistan Squad:
Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
Pakistan’s schedule of matches:
June 6 — vs USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas
June 9 — vs India, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
June 11 — vs Canada, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
June 16 — vs Ireland, Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida
Pakistan has been seeded A2 in the first round and if they qualify for the second round, then their Super Eight matches will be as follows:
June 19 — vs D1, Antigua
June 21 — vs C2, Barbados
June 23 — vs B1, Barbados
