The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shortlisted a sixteen man squad ahead of England test series. The side is to be captained by Azhar Ali whereas the newly appointed ODI skipper, Babar Azam, is all set to uphold the vice-captain post.
16 players for Pak vs Eng test series shortlisted
Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, and Yasir Shah.
The sides will be featuring in three test matches that are to be played at Old Trafford, Ageas Bowl, and Ageas Bowl respectively, whereas, the three T20Is will be played at Old Trafford.
It has been decided that the series will be resumed behind closed doors to avoid the spreading of the Coronavirus
The sides will be seen in action on the mentioned below dates:
5-9 Aug – 1st Test, Old Trafford
13-17 Aug – 2nd Test, Ageas Bowl
21-25 Aug – 3rd Test, Ageas Bowl
28 Aug – 1st T20I, Old Trafford
30 Aug – 2nd T20I, Old Trafford
1 Sep – 3rd T20I, Old Trafford
However, as in the squad, most of the players are the pacers, Shoaib Akhtar has recently slammed the selection that lacks spinners. The former Pakistani fast-bowler believes the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management has not selected a good squad against England.
He says there will be a huge criticism when the side will fail to impress. Mentioning that out of twenty players, twenty-two are pacers, he maintained he is unaware of the mindset with which they will be going to play against the host.
“That we don’t know. They have announced a 20-member squad. In those twenty, there are around 22 fast bowlers. Let us see whom they select. Depends on the captain and the management, with which mindset they go in,” said Akhtar in a show on Geo Cricket.
“What they want and how the pitch is? How management sees the whole scenario. Zero ideas about what they are going to do. When the team list comes, you will come to know the exact mindset they are going in with. So far as we know right now, nothing,” he added.
“If you lose the Test match because of a wrong selection, then there will be strong criticism. If 40 players have gone and from there also you don’t get a proper Test squad, then what can you do. I feel sorry for the management but they should pick their best XI.”
