PCB announces 18-member squad for England, Ireland tours

LAHORE: Ending the existing ambiguity surrounding Pakistan’s cricket team for the tours of England and Ireland, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Thursday revealed the 18-member squad for the upcoming T20I tours ahead of the T20I World Cup 2024.

Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Haris Rauf, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Usman Khan, Shaheen Afridi, and other players make up the Green Shirts, which are led by Babar Azam.

The statement is made as the Green Shirts prepare to play a three-match T20 International series against Ireland from May 10–May 14. Following that, the national team will go to England for a four-match series that starts on May 22.

The tours for the national team are very important and will help the team get ready for the T20I World Cup 2024, which is scheduled to start in June in the United States and the West Indies.

As per the PCB, the squad will be reduced to 15 players for the mega-event after the first T20I against England on May 22 to meet the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) May 24 team announcement deadline.

Pakistan’s squad:

Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.

Schedule of matches:

Ireland series:

May 10 – v Ireland, 1st T20I, Dublin

May 12 – v Ireland, 2nd T20, Dublin

May 14 – v Ireland, 3rd T20I, Dublin

England series:

May 22 – v England, 1st T20I, Leeds

May 25 – v England, 2nd T20I, Birmingham

May 28– v England 3rd T20I, Cardiff

May 30 – v England, 4th T20I, The Oval