Pak vs Ban: Asif, Imad left out as Green Shirts announce 12-man squad for 1st T20I
Asif Ali and Imad Wasim were the notable absentees as Pakistan announced their 12-man squad for the first Twenty20 International (T20I) match against Bangladesh that is set to be played on Friday.
The first T20I will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium on Friday, the statement said, adding that the second and third T20Is would also be played at the same venue on November 20 and 22.
Pakistan's 12-player squad as confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is:
- Babar Azam (captain)
- Shadab Khan (vice captain)
- Fakhar Zaman
- Haider Ali
- Haris Rauf
- Hasan Ali
- Khushdil Shah
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper)
- Mohammad Wasim Jr
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Shoaib Malik
Mohammad Hafeez had withdrawn from the series in order to "give opportunities to younger players".
The men’s cricket team is in Bangladesh after a gap of five years. Along with the T20is, they will play two ICC World Test Championship matches as well.
The national side’s tour is part of the Future Tours Programme and follows the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
After the T20Is, the two teams will travel to Chattogram for the first of the two Tests at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium from November 26-30. This match will see the two sides face off in the apex form of the game on Bangladeshi soil for the first time since May 2015, when Pakistan won a two-match series by completing a victory in the final Test by a mammoth 328 runs.
The two teams will then return to Dhaka to play the final Test, which will start from December 4.
Pakistan have an immaculate record in Tests against Bangladesh, with 10 wins from 11 matches. They also enjoy an impressive record in T20Is against Bangladesh, having won 10 out of 12 matches.
Fixtures
Nov 19: First T20I, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Nov 20: Second T20I, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Nov 22: Third T20I, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Nov 26-30: First Test, Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram
Dec 4-8: Second Test, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
