ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has added the names of three “high-performing” teenagers to its men’s national Test squad, interim head of the selection committee Shahid Afridi confirmed on Tuesday, granting an opportunity for the youngsters to learn from their seniors in Test cricket.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been making sweeping changes in the men’s team ever since the change of guard at the board. Last week, journalist and former PCB chairman Najam Sethi was yet again appointed PCB boss by the prime minister and patron-in-chief of the cricket board, Shehbaz Sharif, while his predecessor Ramiz Raja was sacked.
Afridi announced the names of all-rounder Arafat Minhas (Multan), top-order batter Basit Ali (Dera Murad Jamali) and right-arm fast bowler Mohammad Zeeshan (Faisalabad), saying that their names have been added to Pakistan’s Test squad.
“We are not only looking at present but also have an eye on the future,” Afridi told reporters. “In this relation, we have added three top-performers from our age-group cricket so that they can spend time with their stars in the national side and learn how to plan and prepare for high-pressure matches,” he added.
Afridi clarified that though the three players will not be available for selection, the initiative would “fast track their progress and provide them better awareness, understanding and knowledge about the rigors and demands of top-grade cricket.”
Minhas was adjudged the best all-rounder of the Pakistan Junior League (PJL) when he scored 178 runs and took nine wickets for Gwadar Sharks. Bahawalpur Royals’ Ali was named player and best batter of the PJL after finishing as the top-scorer with 379 runs.
Ali also featured in the U19 series against Bangladesh in Multan in November. Zeeshan, Ali’s team-mate at the PJL, was declared the best bowler of the tournament with 14 wickets.
