Ahmed Shahzad, Umar Akmal named among probables

KARACHI: Pakistan’s head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq on Monday announced 20 probables for the training camp which will be held at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore from Wednesday (tomorrow).

The camp will prepare players for the upcoming One-day International (ODI) and Twenty20 home series against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka will play three ODIs and as many T20s against Pakistan between September 27 and October 9.

Opener Ahmed Shahzad and hard-hitting middle-order batsman Umar Akmal have been called up for the training camp. Ahmed last played for Pakistan in a T20I against Scotland in June 2018, while Umar has not played for the country since the ODI series against Australia in March.

Meanwhile, experienced all-rounders Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez were not included in the list of probables announced by Misbah. Both Malik and Hafeez were granted NOC until 12 October to participate in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Sarfraz Ahmed has been retained as captain for the Sri Lanka series. Babar Azam will be the vice-captain. The squads for one-day and T20 series will be announced on September 21.

Probables:

Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, Sindh), Babar Azam (vice-capt, Central Punjab), Abid Ali (Sindh), Ahmed Shahzad (Central Punjab), Asif Ali (Northern), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Haris Sohail (Balochistan), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Iftikhar Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Imad Wasim (Northern), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Amir (Northern), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shadab Khan (Northern), Umar Akmal (Central Punjab), Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Wahab Riaz (Southern Punjab).