ISLAMABAD: (Yaseen Hashmi) Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday introduced the country wide squad for the upcoming three-match T20 series against Australia, confirming the return of fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi after recovering from a knee injury.
Afridi, considered one of Pakistan’s premier pace bowlers, had overlooked the recent big Bash League season because of fitness issues and returned home earlier for rehabilitation. The left-armer has now been declared fully fit and is ready to bolster Pakistan’s bowling attack ahead of the high-profile series.
The team will be led by Salman Ali Agha, with the PCB retaining the same core squad from the previous T20 series. Senior batters Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman continue to be part of the lineup, alongside young opener Saim Ayub and all-rounder Shadab Khan. The bowling unit also features Naseem Shah, Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Wasim Jr.
All three matches of the series will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Jan. 29, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. The Australian team is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Jan. 28.
The series is expected to draw substantial attention as Pakistan best-tunes its squad ahead of upcoming international commitments, with Afridi’s return seen as a major boost to the team’s stability and pace strength.
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