Selectors name 23 probables for World Cup

KARACHI: Pakistan on Thursday announced 23 probables for the ICC World Cup 2019, to be held in England and Wales from May 30 to July 14.

The national selection committee invited 23 probables for the fitness tests after consultation with head coach Mickey Arthur. The fitness tests will be held at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on April 15 and 16.

Batsman Umar Akmal, who was recalled for the One-day International (ODI) series against Australia in UAE, failed to find a place in the probables’ list. Left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz could not make the cut as well.

According to the selectors, Pakistan’s squad for the World Cup will be announced on April 18. Pakistan will depart for England on April 23 where they will play the hosts in a five-match ODI series starting May 8. The teams will meet in a lone T20 International before the ODI series on May 5. Sarfraz Ahmed’s men will play Afghanistan on May 24 and Bangladesh on May 26 in two warm-up games before launching their World Cup campaign against the West Indies on May 31 at Trent Bridge.

All the participating teams will play each other once in a round-robin format. A total of 45 matches will be played, with each team playing nine matches. Pakistan will face arch-rivals India in a mouth-watering clash at Old Trafford on June 16.

Despite them suffering a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of Australia in the recently held ODI series in UAE, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq believes that Pakistan "will be among the favourites" to win the World Cup.

“I am confident we will pick a very good team for the World Cup and Pakistan will be among the favourites for the title," he said, while speaking to reporters the other day. “Against Australia, we had rested seven of our key players,” said Inzamam. "In the last two games we had rested around 10 of our main players but the team still fought hard in those matches and that is a very good sign for me."

“I am confident we will pick a very good team for the World Cup and Pakistan will be among the favourites for the title," he added. Probables: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik, Usman Shinwari and Yasir Shah.