Pakistan Name New-Look Squad for Sri Lanka T20Is, Uncapped Khawaja Nafay Called Up
In a significant move towards building for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Pakistan have announced a revamped 15-man squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, omitting several star players and handing a maiden call-up to uncapped batter Khawaja Nafay.
Regular fixtures Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf have been left out as they are currently fulfilling commitments in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL). Salman Ali Agha has been named captain for the series, which begins on January 7 in Dambulla.
The squad sees the recall of experienced all-rounder Shadab Khan, who is also playing in the BBL, providing a blend of experience to a relatively fresh group. The most notable inclusion is that of Khawaja Nafay, a 23-year-old right-handed batter who impressed for Quetta Gladiators in the recent Pakistan Super League (PSL). Nafay has scored 688 runs in 32 T20s at a strike rate of 132.81.
This series serves as a crucial preparatory step for Pakistan, who are placed in Group B of the T20 World Cup alongside India, Namibia, Netherlands, and the USA.
Pakistan Squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq
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