Pak vs NZ: Shahid Afridi to be consulted before finalising playing XI, says Babar Azam

The playing XI for the first Test against New Zealand during the upcoming home series will be finalised after consultation with interim chief selector Shahid Afridi, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said Sunday.

“We haven’t finalised the playing XI. We will do that after a discussion with the chief selector [Shahid Afridi], who will meet us today. We will try to select the best possible XI,” Azam said in a press conference in Karachi.

The two-match Test series, starting tomorrow will be played at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.

The skipper likened the Karachi pitch to the squares in Australia.

“Pitch looks good. I think we can say that it is similar to the ones in Australia. As you know, here [in Karachi] the behaviour of the pitch changes every day,” he added.

The prolific right-hander also spoke about the inclusion of three additional players in the Pakistan squad by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Interim Selection Committee on Saturday.

Pacers pacers Mir Hamza and Shahnawaz Dahani and off-spinner Sajid Khan were roped into the Pakistan Test squad for the Test series.

“Yes, we had a discussion on it. They [selection committee] obvioulsly have their own mindset. I gave them my opinion and, in the end, we did what was best for our side,” he said.

The Pakistan skipper also admitted that Pakistan, who have lost four Test matches in a row on home soil, haven’t played good cricket in the recent past but he backed his players to make a strong comeback.

“I accept that we didn’t play good cricket at times. There were things that we should have executed in a better manner but we couldn’t do that,” he said.

"I feel no pressure because pressure brings your game down. I'm a confident captain and I have confidence in my players. We will try our best to make a comeback in the series since it is a new day and a new team,” he concluded.

Test squad

Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood

Revised itinerary

26-30 December — 1st Test, Karachi

2-6 January — 2nd Test, Karachi

9 January — 1st ODI, Karachi

11 January — 2nd ODI, Karachi

13 January — 3rd ODI, Karachi