Allrounder Shadab Khan has made his return to Pakistan’s cricket squad for the upcoming three-match Twenty20 international series against Sri Lanka. The announcement was made by the selectors on Sunday, highlighting Shadab’s recovery from injury.
The 27-year-old cricketer had been sidelined due to a shoulder injury since June. After undergoing surgery in Britain, he has successfully regained full fitness, allowing him to rejoin the national team.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) noted that the squad will feature several new players as some seasoned members are participating in the Big Bash League in Australia. A PCB statement confirmed Shadab’s inclusion, stating he will be part of the series scheduled to take place in Dambulla on January 7, 9, and 11.
Notably absent from the squad are senior batsman Babar Azam and fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali, all of whom will be in Australia for their league commitments. In their absence, Salman Ali Agha will take on the captaincy role as the team gears up for the Twenty20 World Cup set for February-March in India and Sri Lanka.
Additionally, uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Khawaja Nafay has been added to the squad following his strong performances with Pakistan’s second string team over the past two years.
The complete squad for the T20I series includes: Salman Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq.