Babar in, Shaheen’s inclusion conditional as Pakistan submit provisional T20 World Cup squad

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has submitted a preliminary T20 World Cup squad to the International Cricket Council (ICC), which includes several senior players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf.

The final squad will be announced after the conclusion of the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which begins on January 7 in Dambulla. However, Pakistan are not likely to make any sweeping changes to the provisional squad.

Search for a wicketkeeper

There are a few talking points that the team will look to address in the upcoming series, one of which is the wicketkeeping conundrum. Pakistan have selected as many as three wicketkeepers for the Sri Lanka tour, including Khawaja Nafay, Usman Khan, and Sahibzada Farhan. With Mohammad Rizwan reportedly not part of the PCB’s plan for the T20 World Cup, one of these options is expected to be given the go-ahead. It is understood that either Nafay or Usman will be handed the gloves, with Farhan as the backup option.

Shaheen’s race against time

Pakistan also have the Shaheen Afridi question to deal with. The left-arm pacer injured his right knee during his stint with the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League (BBL). This has put his availability in jeopardy. According to reports, Shaheen’s selection is conditional on his recovery in time for the mega-event. In case he fails to regain fitness, fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jr. will potentially be included as his replacement.

Pakistan are scheduled to play all their T20 World Cup games in Sri Lanka, which is why the upcoming T20I series, which will be played entirely in Dambulla, is crucial for the management as they finalise the squad.

Players including Babar, Haris, and Rizwan will not participate in the series, as all three of them are featuring in the BBL. However, Shadab Khan, who is part of Sydney Thunder, along with players taking part in other franchise leagues, have been instructed by the board to return. All these players are expected to link up with the remaining squad in Sri Lanka. 

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