There were a couple of surprises as Pakistan announced their squad on Thursday, April 18. There was no place for Mohammad Amir in the 15, with the selectors preferring to call up the 19-year-old Mohammad Hasnain.

Amir was, however, part of 17-strong squad to take on England, as was Asif Ali, the big-hitting batsman, who was another one to be left out of the World Cup squad. Mohammad Rizwan, who scored two centuries in the series against Australia, was another omission.

Inzamam, who has been a part of five World Cups in his 16-year career, acknowledged Pakistan’s selection process was based on the conditions in England and Wales, and lauded their “three-dimensional side”.

“In England and Wales, conditions play a critical role. With this in mind, we have selected a three-dimensional side,” he said. “It gives the captain a wide range of options of whatever game plan he chooses on a match day. We have experienced batters. They are backed up by bowlers with plenty of variety and variation to exploit any type of conditions.”

World Cup Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c/wk), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hasnain

Additional players for England series: Mohammad Amir, Asif Ali