The long-anticipated announcement is here. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially revealed the squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, set to begin on June 1st in the West Indies and USA. Led by star batter Babar Azam, the 15-man squad includes no reserve players, a bold move as Pakistan eyes their second T20 World Cup title.
Despite modest performances, Usman Khan and Saim Ayub retain their spots. Usman earned his call-up after finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in PSL 2024 but has only 59 runs in 5 T20Is. Saim Ayub, with 284 runs in 20 matches at an average of 15.77, also remains in the squad.
Azam Khan’s inclusion is notable, despite his lack of significant contributions in international cricket so far. A significant boost comes with the return of Haris Rauf, who has recovered from a shoulder dislocation sustained in PSL 2024. However, Hasan Ali is a notable omission, having been released from the squad before facing England.
The selection meeting included prominent figures such as Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Bilal Afzal, Gary Kirsten, Mohammad Yousuf, and Wahab Riaz.
Pakistan’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan.
“We remain confident that he will continue to maintain an upward trajectory” – Pakistan selectors on Haris Rauf.
Addressing the squad selection, the Pakistan selectors expressed confidence in the team’s composition and preparation for the tournament. They particularly noted the importance of Haris Rauf’s role, despite missing game time at Headingley. The selectors stated:
“This is an extremely talented and balanced side with a mixture of youth and experience. These players have been playing together for some time and look well prepared and settled for next month’s event. Haris Rauf is fully fit and bowling well in the nets. It would have been nice if he had gotten an outing at Headingley, but we remain confident that he will continue to maintain an upward trajectory in the upcoming matches, as he will have an important role to play along with other strike bowlers in the T20 World Cup.”
The 2009 T20 World Cup champions, who were runners-up in the 2022 edition, will kick off their campaign against the USA on June 6th. With no reserve players named, Pakistan’s strategy and confidence in their selected 15 will be put to the test.
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