Pakistan have recalled pacer Hasan Ali in their 18-man squad for the seven T20Is they will play on their tour of Ireland and England. Salman Ali Agha, the 30-year-old off-spinning all-rounder who is uncapped in the T20I format, gets a call-up too.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the World Cup squad will be picked from among these 18 players and announced after the first T20I against England on May 22. The ICC deadline for the same is May 24.
Squad: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
Also back in the squad are fit-again Haris Rauf and Azam Khan who missed the recent T20I series against New Zealand.
There was no place for wrist-spinner Usama Mir and pacer Zaman Khan.
Hasan Ali, who last played a T20I for Pakistan in September 2022, made a comeback after solid performances in the Pakistan Super League, picking 14 wickets.
Agha Salman’s inclusion revolves around his spin-bowling capabilities on potentially slow pitches in the Caribbean and the USA. He will pair with fellow spinners Abrar Ahmed, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan.
Mohammad Amir and Wasim, recalled for the New Zealand series, retained their spots and will aim for compelling performances before the squad is trimmed to 15.
The team is set to depart for Dublin on May 7 following a training camp in Lahore from May 4-6.
