KARACHI: Pakistan ‘A’ head coach Tauseef Ahmed predicted a good workout for his charges when they meet England Lions in a series of Twenty20 matches at the ICC Academy in Dubai from Dec 7 to 16.

The former Test off-spinner, who is on his first assignment with a national team, talking to Dawn from Dubai on Sunday said that he hoped to utilise the entire 16-man squad in the forthcoming games so that the players get experience of playing international cricket.

“Although we are going to play only five T20 matches, I think it would provide some of the young players a taste of international cricket during the series which would obviously come handy in the future,” Tauseef said.

“Irrespective of the results against a very good side which England Lions are, I believe the experience gain from the upcoming matches would do the players a world of good. We have plan to rotate the entire squad so that each of the players get a chance to prove himself.”

Tauseef expressed the hope Pakistan ‘A’ side will put up a good show to make up for the disappointing results of the senior Pakistan team which was blanked 3-0 by England in the recent Twenty20 International series in the UAE.

“Of course, it was heartbreaking for all of us to see Pakistan losing all three matches. The onus is on this team to put smiles on the faces of Pakistani fans. The task ahead is won’t be easy but at least if we play to our potential then anything could happen,” the 57-year-old Karachi-based coach, who took 93 wickets in 34 Tests and another 55 in 70 One-day Internationals, remarked.

Commenting on the make-up of his team, Tauseef pointed out that barring left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman, left-handed batsman Mohammad Nawaz, left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti, wicket-keeper Saifullah Khan Bangash and the left-arm pace trio of Zia-ul-Haq, Mir Hamza and Rumman Raees Khan, the rest of the players have played full internationals.

“Our skipper Junaid Khan everyone knows is the only Test player in this team. But there is still lot of international experience with [vice-captain] Sohaib Maqsood, Shahzaib [Hasan], Sharjeel [Khan], Babar Azam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Saad Nasim, Bilal Asif and Aamir Yamin among the lot,” Tauseef said.

“And then add Saifullah and Nawaz to the list since they have too played international cricket at the Under-19 level. So there is enough depth in the squad to challenge England Lions and I’m optimistic these guys would do Pakistan proud in the coming days.”

The Lions are led by Hampshire batsman James Vince, who made tremendous impression in the Pakistan T20 series where he was named man-of-the-series on his international debut.

Four members of the Lions squad — Vince, Kent wicket-keeper/batsman Sam Billings, Lancashire slow left-armer Stephen Parry and Hampshire left-arm quickie Reece Topley — were members of the triumphant senior England T20 side in the UAE recently.

Sussex all-rounder Chris Jordan and David Willey, the left-arm fast bowler from Northamptonshire, would have been the two other players of that England senior team to play Pakistan ‘A’.

But Willey was released to play in the domestic Australian Big Bash T20 league and Jordan was named in the England Test squad for the South Africa tour.

Squads:

PAKISTAN ‘A’: Junaid Khan (captain), Sohaib Maqsood (vice-captain), Shahzaib Hasan, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Bilal Asif, Saifullah Khan Bangash, Aamir Yamin, Kashif Bhatti, Saad Nasim, Mir Hamza, Rumman Raees Khan, Zia-ul-Haq.

ENGLAND LIONS: James Vince (captain), Jake Ball, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Sam Billings, Danny Briggs, Joe Clarke, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Foakes, Jamie Overton, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Stephen Parry, Reece Topley, Tm Westley, Ross Whiteley.

Fixtures:

Dec 7: First Twenty20 (ICC Academy, Dubai).

Dec 10: second Twenty20 (ICC Academy, Dubai).

Dec 11: Third Twenty20 (ICC Academy, Dubai).

Dec 13: Fourth Twenty20 (ICC Academy, Dubai).

Dec 16: Fifth Twenty20 (ICC Academy, Dubai).

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2015