Pakistan announce probable team for Ireland, England cricket tour

In this file photo, Pakistan's Faheem Ashraf, left, celebrates the dismissal of a West Indian batsman with skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, in Karachi, Pakistan on April 3, 2018. (AP)
Updated 10 April 2018
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Pakistan announce probable team for Ireland, England cricket tour

  • Pakistan will play Ireland in the only Test in Dublin — Ireland’s first since being granted Test status last year
  • Fawad Alam included in the probable list

KARACHI: Pakistan Tuesday announced its initial 25-member squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England, with fast bowler Wahab Riaz out of favor and key spinner Yasir Shah ruled out with injury.

The probable team members will join a training camp in Lahore from April 18-22 before leaving for the UK a day later to acclimatize ahead of what is expected to be a tough series.

Pakistan will play Ireland in the only Test in Dublin from May 11-15 — Ireland’s first since being granted Test status last year — before playing two Tests against England, starting at Lord’s from May 24 with the second at Leeds from June 1.

Express pace bowler Wahab Riaz, believed to be out of favor with the team management, was left off the list despite taking 40 wickets in the 11 Tests he has played since the Lord’s Test against England in July 2016.

Pakistan also suffered a setback on Monday when leg-spinner Yasir Shah was ruled out of both tours with a hip stress fracture.

Shah has taken 89 wickets in 16 Tests since July 2016, and was instrumental in Pakistan’s 2-2 series draw against England two years ago.

Middle-order batsman Fawad Alam was included in the probable list after showing good form in domestic season, having last played a Test in 2009.

Team (probable): Sarfraz Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Sami Aslam, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Salahuddin, Fawad Alam, Saad Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Asghar, Shadab Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, Rahat Ali, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Musa Khan


Ton-up Farhan helps Pakistan seal Super Eight spot with Namibia rout

Updated 19 February 2026
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Ton-up Farhan helps Pakistan seal Super Eight spot with Namibia rout

  • It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh

COLOMBO: Sahibzada Farhan hit a magnificent unbeaten century to help Pakistan seal the final Super Eight berth at the T20 World Cup with a thumping 102-run win over Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday.

Farhan scored 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 10 fours as Pakistan posted 199-3 before they routed Namibia for 97 in 17.3 overs.

Pakistan’s victory took them to six points from four games in Group A and eliminated the United States, who finished with four points.

India also have six points and play the Netherlands in the group’s final game later Wednesday.

The defending champions India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies will play each other in the Super eights Group 1, hosted in India.

Pakistan join New Zealand, England and co-hosts Sri Lanka in Group 2, hosted in Sri Lanka.

After a morale-shattering 61-run defeat against India, Pakistan needed a victory to avoid an early exit, which was achieved with ease as spinners Usman Tariq (4-16) and Shadab Khan (3-19) tore through the Namibia batting.

Louren Steenkamp scored 23 while Alexander Busing-Volschenk was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 20.

‘Complete performance’ 

Skipper Salman Agha praised a clinical show.

“It is a complete performance,” said a relieved Agha.

“We batted well and Farhan anchored the innings. He has been batting well for a while and I am happy that he got his hundred.

“With the ball we were lethal.”

Namibian skipper Gerhard Erasmus admitted Pakistan’s spin bowlers were too hot to handle.

“It (spin) is a special skill to have, to turn the ball both ways like they do,” said Erasmus.

“I think that’s one of the things we’ll definitely take home and look to improve on.”

Farhan earlier blasted a six and a four off pace bowler Jack Brassell to enter the 90s before taking a single off Gerhard Erasmus to complete his hundred in the final over.

It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh.

Shadab Khan, promoted to No. 5 with Babar Azam left out, hit three sixes and a four in his 36 not out off 22 balls as Pakistan smashed 42 from the last three overs.

Farhan put on 40 for the opening wicket with Saim Ayub (14) before consolidating the innings during a 67-run second wicket stand with captain Salman Agha (38).

Pakistan also left out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi after a poor show in the first three matches, including conceding 31 in two overs in the defeat against India on Sunday.

Farhan’s ton means this is the first T20 World Cup in which three centuries have been scored.

He followed Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, who scored a hundred against Australia on Monday, and Canada’s Yuvraj Sama who reached three figures against New Zealand on Tuesday.