Babar Azam returns to domestic cricket, will represent Lahore in National T20 Cup

Babar Azam is set to return to domestic cricket after being included in the Lahore Whites squad for the upcoming National T20 Cup, scheduled to start on March 7. 

Babar returns to his old team

Babar made his debut for Lahore Whites in 2012 but has not played for the team since 2016. His last appearance in the National T20 Cup came last year when he played a single game for Lahore Blues.

His return to domestic cricket comes after the right-handed batter was excluded from Pakistan’s Bangladesh-bound ODI squad. The three-match ODI series will begin on March 11, and Babar's exclusion is believed to be a response to his timid outings during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. 

He averaged 27 while striking at a rate of 117 during the competition, which also saw him sit out Pakistan’s last game.

Naseem joins Lahore Whites

Along with Babar, the Whites have also included Naseem Shah in their squad. The right-arm pacer will join his brother, Ubaid Shah, in the team captained by Aamir Jamal.

The news came one day after the Pakistan Cricket Board announced the squads and schedule for the tournament, which will run from March 7 to 18.

Lahore Whites squad for National T20 Cup:

Aamir Jamal (c), Ali Raza, Ali Shahid Butt, Farhan Yousuf (U21), Babar Azam, Imran Dogar, Junaid Ali (wk), Kamran Afzal, Mohammad Faiq, Ahmed Daniyal, Mohammad Salman, Muhammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Mohsin, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Muhammad Saleem, Naseem Shah, Samama Riaz, Tayyab Tahir and Ubaid Shah.

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