Media365
NEW DELHI: Pakistan on Friday brought back top-order batter Fakhar Zaman while Saim Ayub missed out due to injury as the selectors named the squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy schedule to start from February 19.
Zaman, 34, was sidelined with a knee injury since his last appearance for Pakistan at the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies.
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“Zaman’s return is a significant boost for our top-order,” selector Asad Shafiq said in a Pakistan Cricket Board release.
“His aggressive approach and match-winning capabilities are vital to our plans,” he said.
Ayub, who is 22 years old, will not participate after his impressive performances that included a century in Zimbabwe and two more during Pakistan’s 3-0 series win against South Africa in November and December.
“We recognise how devastating it must be for Ayub to miss a global event, especially when he is in such exceptional batting form but his recovery is important,” Shafiq said
The eight-nation Champions Trophy will follow a hybrid model with India playing their matches in Dubai due to political tensions with Pakistan.
Mohammad Rizwan will lead the squad that includes three players from the 2017 championship-winning team – Zaman, Babar Azam, and Faheem Ashraf. All-rounder Khushdil Shah has also earned a recall.
Pakistan will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19.
They will then face India in Dubai on February 23, followed by Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.
The same squad will also compete in a tri-series with South Africa and New Zealand before the Champions Trophy begins.
Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed
