Pakistan announce T20 World Cup cricket squad amid participation doubts

LAHORE – Pakistan on Jan 25 announced their squad for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup, a day after their cricket board chief cast doubt over the team’s participation in the global showpiece that begins on Feb 7.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, also the country’s interior minister, said on Jan 24 that their participation in the 20-team tournament in India and Sri Lanka required government permission.

A day later, however, the PCB announced a 15-member squad led by Salman Agha, which will meet the Netherlands in the Feb 7 tournament opener in Colombo.

Head coach Aaqib Javed said the Pakistani government would take a final call on their participation.

“Our job is to pick the team,” he said at a press conference. “We’ve announced the team very close to the deadline.

“The government will decide on our participation so I can say nothing on that front. That’s what the chairman has said, too, so we’ll wait for their decision.”

India will host the majority of the T20 World Cup matches but Pakistan will play exclusively in Sri Lanka because of the fraught political relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Bangladesh have been replaced by Scotland for their refusal to tour India due to safety concerns, which the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected.

Pakistan brought back former captain Babar Azam, spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan and fast bowler Naseem Shah, but there was no place for wicket-keeper cum batter Mohammad Rizwan.

Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, spinner Abrar Ahmed and top-order batter Fakhar Zaman are among those who retained their place in the T20 squad.

Pakistan squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq REUTERS