ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recalled fast bowler Mohammad Abbas after three years for test matches while Shaheen Shah Afridi will play only white-ball cricket in South Africa.
Abbas has taken 90 wickets in 25 test matches but hasn’t played red-ball cricket for Pakistan since the Jamaica test in 2021. He has been in impressive form of late, picking up 31 wickets in five premier domestic four-day tournament matches.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exclusion from the test squad is a strategic decision to ensure he remains physically and mentally fresh for the Champions Trophy,” selection committee member Aaqib Javed said in a statement on Wednesday.
Naseem Shah, who missed the last two home test matches against England, Khurram Shahzad and left-armer Mir Hamza are the pace bowlers named to the test squad.
Pakistan begins its tour of South Africa next Tuesday with three T20s, followed by three ODIs and two test matches at Centurion and Cape Town.
“We have adopted a horses for courses policy to ensure all three squads are well-balanced and capable of performing strongly in South Africa,” said Javed, who was also appointed interim white-ball coach ahead of Pakistan’s tour to Zimbabwe.
“Our focus in ODIs is to continue building momentum ahead of the Champions Trophy, while the T20 series provides a platform to blend experience with emerging talent.”
Off-spinner Sajid Khan missed out on the test team despite claiming 19 wickets in the last two test matches against England at Multan and Rawalpindi. Noman Ali, who picked up 20 wickets in those two memorable victories for Pakistan, won the selectors’ nod ahead of Sajid.
“Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough and difficult decision,” Javed said. “However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling.”
Former all format captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha were named to all three squads.
The selectors have kept faith in youngster Sufiyan Muqeem for T20s and ODIs after the left-arm wrist spinner claimed eight wickets in two T20s against Zimbabwe. Sufiyan also recorded Pakistan’s best-ever T20 figures of five wickets for three runs at Bulawayo on Tuesday that routed Zimbabwe for its lowest T20 score of 57 all out.
Squads:
Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha.
ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.
T20s: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.
Pakistan recall fast bowler Mohammad Abbas after 3 years for test matches in South Africa
https://arab.news/447wy
Pakistan recall fast bowler Mohammad Abbas after 3 years for test matches in South Africa
- Abbas has taken 90 wickets in 25 test matches but hasn’t played red-ball cricket for Pakistan since the Jamaica test in 2021
- He has been in impressive form of late, picking up 31 wickets in five premier domestic four-day tournament matches
Al-Ahli confirm Asian Champions League Elite progress with emphatic 5-0 win over Al-Shorta
- Al-Ahli are joined in the next round by Tractor, who claimed a 2-1 win over Qatar’s Al-Duhail through a late goal by Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh
- The first eight finishers in the league phases in east and west Asia advance to the round of 16, which will be played in March, with the quarterfinals, semifinals and final in Saudi Arabia in April
BAGHDAD: Defending champions Al-Ahli cruised to a 5-0 win over Al-Shorta in Baghdad on Monday as the Saudi Pro League side confirmed their progress to the knockout rounds of the Asian Champions League Elite alongside Iran’s Tractor FC.
Goals from Roger Ibanez, Ivan Toney, Galeno, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat and Ziyad Al-Johani sealed a comfortable win for Matthias Jaissle’s side, who moved on to 13 points from six matches to guarantee a top-eight finish in the 12-team standings.
“We did well today and we go home with three points,” Ibanez said. “That’s the important part.”
Ibanez gave Al-Ahli the lead when he converted Toney’s cut-back in the 30th minute and the former Brentford striker doubled the lead when he raced onto a pass through the middle by Galeno soon after the restart.
Galeno converted from a tight angle and Al-Shamat and Al-Johani netted in the closing stages as Al-Ahli bounced back from a surprise loss to Sharjah FC last month.
Al-Ahli are joined in the next round by Tractor, who claimed a 2-1 win over Qatar’s Al-Duhail through a late goal by Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh.
Benjamin Bourigeaud had given Al-Duhail a 35th-minute lead from the penalty spot but Shojae Khalilzadeh levelled the scores and Hosseinzadeh hit the winner two minutes into stoppage time.
Tractor moved on to 14 points and second in the table behind Al-Hilal who recorded a sixth consecutive win in the competition with a 1-0 victory over Sharjah in the UAE.
Simone Inzaghi’s side had already confirmed their place in the next phase and picked up another three points when Malcom struck with nine minutes remaining.
Al-Gharafa kept their qualification hopes alive through a 1-0 win over Al-Wahda from the UAE with Seydou Sano scoring an 87th-minute winner for the Qatari side.
Al-Gharafa climbed to six points and ninth in the table while Al-Wahda, who have qualified, dropped to fourth.
The first eight finishers in the league phases in east and west Asia advance to the round of 16, which will be played in March, with the quarteRfinals, semifinals and final in Saudi Arabia in April.
