Asif, Haris named for Australia white-ball matches, other performers overlooked

LAHORE: Overlooking the top performers of the ongoing Pakistan Cup, the national selection committee announced the squads for Pakistan’s One-day and Twenty20 International series against Australia on Thursday.

Uncapped Khyber Pakhtun­khwa duo of all-rounder Asif Afridi and wicket-keeper/batter Mohammad Haris has been included in the squads for both the three-match ODI series and a solitary T20I, scheduled to be held between March 29 and April 5.

While announcing the provincial association teams squads for the country’s premier List A tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board had said the Pakistan Cup was “a great opportunity to young and talented cricketers to showcase their skills to get a chance to represent Pakistan in white-ball series against Australia”.

But as it turns out, some extraordinary performances in the tournament have gone unnoticed by the selectors, especially those of opener Sharjeel Khan and left-arm spinner Khalid Usman.

On Wednesday, Sharjeel smashed a double century in Sindh’s winning cause against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking his Pakistan Cup runs tally to 458 at an average of 76.33.

Despite the left-handers blistering form, Abdullah Shafique has been called up after a hundred in the first Test against Australia in Rawalpindi and a crucial knock of 96 in the second innings in the second game in Karachi.Khalid on the other hand has claimed 16 victims in the Pakistan Cup so far at 16.56.

With left-arm spin options available in the national team set up in the form of all-rounders Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Nawaz, Asif’s inclusion raises questions.

The 35-year-old has bagged eight wickets at 31.88 in the Pakistan Cup. However, his economy rate of 4.39 in the tournament and his eight wickets in five outings for finalists Multan Sultans in this year’s HBL Pakistan Super League has impressed the selection committee.Haris’ 166 runs in five matches for Peshawar Zalmi and an impressive strike rate of 186.5 was enough for chief selector Mohammad Wasim and co. to include him as a second choice wicket-keeper in place of former Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed.

“Asif and Haris have earned the selectors’ nod as result of their impressive performances in the domestic circuit as the selectors have continued to provide opportunities to high-performing players as part of their strategy to increase the pool of top-class cricketers and developing a formidable bench-strength,” the PCB stated in a press release.

Haris was named in the Pakistan squad for the home series against New Zealand but the series couldn’t be played at the time as the Kiwis returned home on the day of the series opener.

According to the press release, Nawaz, who had withdrawn from participation in the Test series due to a foot injury, will be selected in the playing line-up if he passes fitness tests,” the PCB said.

While Pakistan’s ODI squad is 20-member strong, the T20I will have three players less as Abdullah, opener Imam-ul-Haq and middle-order batter Saud Shakeel leave the group after the 50-over games, which will be played as a part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League

“Australia are an equally outstanding team in the shorter formats of the game and, as such, we have decided to go with the best available and most experienced players,” Wasim was quoted as saying in the press release.

The white-ball players will assemble in Lahore on March 22 and will undergo a three-day room isolation following which they will be allowed to integrate with the national side.

With the political temperature in Islamabad high, there is a high probability of the white-ball matches, initially scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi, to be moved to Lahore.

ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali (Northern), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jr., Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir.

T20I squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir.