Fawad to lead Patrons XI against Windies

KARACHI: A number of Test discards would be looking to impress the national selectors when they feature in a three-day match against the touring West Indian team in Sharjah next month.

Fawad Alam, who last played a Test way back in 2009, will be leading the PCB Patrons XI team against the West Indians in the day-night tour match to be played from October 7-9. The match will precede a three-Test series between Pakistan and the West Indies.

Fawad, who turns 31 on October 8, will be at the helm of a strong team that includes the likes of Test cricketers Ahmed Shehzad, Shan Masood, Adnan Akmal, Iftikhar Ahmed and Junaid Khan.

While Shan was part of Pakistan’s Test squad in their series against England earlier this summer, most of the others have been out of favour for quite some time.

Fawad, who is regarded as a reliable middle-order batsman, last played for Pakistan in a One-day International against Bangladesh in Dhaka in April last year.

Ahmed Shehzad, who was once a regular member of the Pakistan team in all three formats, is looking to find his way back in the line-up. He was axed from the team after a series of failures that culminated with a highly dismal showing in this year’s ICC World Twenty20 championship in India.

The 13-member team for the tour match which was announced by chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq includes two rookie leg-spinners — Shahzaib Ahmed and Mohammad Irfan.