Pakistan arrive in Birmingham for second T20 as deadline to announce World Cup squad looms

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan cricket team arrived in Birmingham on Thursday to play the second T20I of the four-match series against England, with only a day left before the deadline to announce the squad for next month’s World Cup ends. 
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has set a deadline of May 25 for countries participating in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024— scheduled to take place in the USA and West Indies next month— to announce their squads for the mega tournament. 
Pakistan are the only team who have not announced their squad for the megaevent. The green shirts were hoping to test their players in the first T20I fixture against England in Leeds on Wednesday before finalizing the squad. 
Rain, however, washed away the first match of the series which would have helped selectors and Head Coach Gary Kirsten arrive at a decision. Local media widely reported the PCB would announce the World Cup squad on Friday. 
“Pakistan team will practice from 9:30 a.m. tomorrow till 12:30 p.m.,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement. “The second T20 international between Pakistan and England will be played on Saturday at Edgbaston.”
The other two matches of the series against Pakistan, the team England beat to win the 2022 T20 World Cup final in Melbourne, will take place in Cardiff and at the Oval on May 28 and May 30, respectively. 
The Pakistan-England T20 series could see the return to international duty of England fast bowler Jofra Archer. Injuries have blighted the quick’s career, with elbow and back problems sidelining the 29-year-old from top-level cricket for 14 months.
The 20-team ICC World Cup, scheduled to take place in the USA and West Indies from June 1-29, will see Pakistan take on the USA, India, Canada and Ireland in the group stages of the tournament. 
Schedule for England series:
22 May – v England, 1st T20I, Leeds
25 May – v England, 2nd T20I, Birmingham
28 May – v England 3rd T20I, Cardiff
30 May – v England, 4th T20I, The Oval