Pakistan will tour New Zealand to play three T20Is and two Tests in December and January – here is the squad they have selected.
A large squad has been announced to allow for players to be selected not only for the Tests and T20Is, but for ‘A’ side (Shaheens) matches against New Zealand A, too.
Babar Azam will preside over his first Test series as skipper, having replaced Azhar Ali. Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan has been named the vice-captain for the Test side. Shadab Khan will serve as Babar’s deputy in the T20Is.
Notable omissions from the 35-man squad include Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik. On the omission of Shafiq, Pakistan’s head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq cited a lack of form; the 34-year-old hit 67 runs in five Test innings on the recent tour of England.
In regards to Amir and Malik, Misbah said: “Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not part of the white-ball matches as for this tour we have opted to invest, develop and focus on the promising and emerging players who are likely to be available to Pakistan for all formats.”
The first of three T20Is will take place at Eden Park on December 18. The first Test will begin on Boxing Day at Bay Oval, with the second Test to kick off on January 3 at Hagley Oval.
Updates as of December 21, 2020
Pakistan’s squad for the tour of New Zealand:
Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Afridi, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Iftikhar Ahmed, Fawad Alam, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Haider Ali, Imam-Ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Babar Azam, Danish Aziz, Imran Butt, Amad Butt, Zafar Gohar, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Shadab Khan, Sohail Khan, Zeeshan Malik, Shan Masood, Mohammad Musa, Rohail Nazir, Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Khushdil Shah, Yasir Shah, Naseem Shah, Haris Sohail, Hussain Talat, Imad Wasim
Pakistan Test squad: Mohammad Rizwan, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah. (Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq unavailable for first Test)
*Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the tour after failing to recover from a fever in time for the squad’s departure.
*Babar Azam has been ruled out of the first Test. Mohammad Rizwan will lead the side in his absence.
