On Tuesday, April 4, the Pakistan Cricket Board released the teams for the forthcoming five-match ODI and T20I series against New Zealand. Right-arm seamstress Following a five-month absence, Shaheen Afridi will soon re-don the Pakistan shirt after making a full recovery from the knee injury that kept him out of much of the 2022 international cricket action.
After making a stunning comeback in Pakistan Super League Season 8, when he helped Lahore Qalandars successfully defend their title, Afridi has been selected for both the T20I and ODI teams. The 22-year-old was in commanding form throughout the competition, amassing 19 wickets at an average of 21.15 in 12 matches while scoring 133 runs at a strike rate of 168.35.
In his final game for Pakistan against England in the T20 World Cup final of 2022, Afridi bowled a brilliant burst of 1/13 in 2.1 overs to keep Pakistan in the match while defending a score of 137. He had to leave the field, though, after failing to bowl because he had hurt his knee when taking a catch on the boundary, which forced him to leave the field at a key point in the game.
Along with Shaheen, other players who were rested for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan that ended in March 2023 include Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Rizwan.
Youth players Ihsanullah, Saim Ayub, and Zaman Khan have been retained in the T20I team as a result of their outstanding PSL performances. Ihsanullah finished with 22 wickets, placing him second in the PSL. He also had the most wickets in the T20I series against Afghanistan, taking six victims. He has also received his first call-up for an ODI due to his incredible back-to-back performances in the forthcoming series.
Shadab Khan will serve as Babar Azam’s assistant when he leads the ODI and T20I series. A five-match ODI series will begin on April 27 after a five-match T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand begins on April 14. Three locations, namely Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi, will host the two series.
Team for the ODI and T20I matches between Pakistan and New Zealand:
T20I: Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, and Zaman Khan. Babar Azam, as captain, Shadab Khan, as vice-cap
ODI: Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, and Usama Mir. Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul
