Shaheen Afridi returns to Pakistan squads for New Zealand series

Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates after taking the wicket of New Zealand's Captain Kane Williamson during the ICC men's Twenty20 World Cup 2022 semi-final cricket match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on November 9, 2022. (AFP/File)
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Updated 04 April 2023
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Shaheen Afridi returns to Pakistan squads for New Zealand series

  • Shaheen hurt his knee during the final of Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in November last year
  • Subsequently, the pacer missed five Tests, three ODIs against England and New Zealand, all at home

KARACHI: Star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi returns to Pakistan's squads for the two white ball series against New Zealand after regaining full fitness, selectors announced Tuesday. 

Shaheen, who will turn 23 on Thursday, hurt his knee during the final of Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in November last year. 

Subsequently he missed five Tests and three ODIs against England and New Zealand -- all at home -- but took 19 wickets to lead Lahore Qalandars' title defence in Pakistan Super League (PSL) last month. 

Babar Azam -- rested for the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan last month -- returns as skipper of both the squads along with Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf. 

The five-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand will be played in Lahore (April 14, 15, 17) and Rawalpindi (April 20, 24). 

The ODIs will be played in Rawalpindi (April 27, 29) and Karachi (May 3, 5, 7). 

Three youngsters -- pacers Ihsanullah and Zaman Khan, and opener Saim Ayub -- have been retained in the T20 squad following good performances in Sharjah. 

Ihsanullah is also included in the ODI squad. 

T20 squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), 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 

ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Usama Mir 


Pakistan Super League signs Bangladesh’s Mustafizur after IPL controversy

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Pakistan Super League signs Bangladesh’s Mustafizur after IPL controversy

  • Mustafizur’s removal outraged Bangladesh and the cricket board asked to shift its T20 World Cup games from India to Sri Lanka due to ‘security concerns’
  • Lahore Qalandars signed Mustafizur Rahman for $230,000 in a draft that allows Pakistan Super League franchises to select one player before Feb. 11 auction

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan club has signed the Bangladesh fast bowler whose removal from the Indian Premier League sparked the crisis at the Twenty20 World Cup.

Lahore Qalandars signed Mustafizur Rahman for $230,000 in a draft that allows Pakistan Super League franchises to select one player before the Feb. 11 auction.

Mustafizur was bought for $1 million by the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders, but on Jan. 3 the Board of Control for Cricket in India ordered Kolkata to release Mustafizur without a public explanation but amid regional tensions.

That outraged Bangladesh and the cricket board asked to shift its T20 World Cup games from India to co-host Sri Lanka because of “security concerns.” The International Cricket Council refused, rejected the reason, and cut Bangladesh from the tournament.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, which supported Bangladesh, accused the ICC of double standards and its government ordered Pakistan not to play India in the T20 World Cup which starts on Saturday. Pakistan-India matches are huge money-spinners for the ICC.

Mustafizur was drafted by Lahore for a third time since the PSL started in 2016.

“Once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar,” Lahore owner Sameen Rana said in a statement. “Mustafizur is not just a player; he’s a brother, a key part of our family who never left … his talent, experience, and dedication will be invaluable as we aim to defend our title.”