Pakistan announce 15-member squad for Asia Cup 2023

The 16th edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to kick start on August 30. The first match of the tournament is set to be played between Pakistan and Nepal at Multan, in Pakistan. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has recently announced a 15-member squad for the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup. The last edition of the Asia Cup was won by Sri Lanka which was played in the United Arab Emirates.

Babar Azam will lead the team in the six-team tournament. Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf have also been included in the squad. Last year Pakistan made it to the final but were unable to surpass Sri Lanka to win the title. Abdullah Shaqfique, Fakhar Zaman, and Imam-ul-Haq are the openers for the Men in Green.

Shan Masood and Ihsanullah not included in Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2023

Mohammad Haris has been included as a backup for wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan. The spin bowling attack would be in the hands of Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Usama Mir. Faheem Ashraf has made his comeback to the ODI squad for Pakistan after two years. He last played for his national side back in July 2021.

Shan Masood and Ihsanullah, who were a member of the team that faced New Zealand in April and May are the two notable exclusions from the squad. Shan’s exclusion was explained in the PCB media release and was done due to a streak of poor scores. On August 18, a Pakistan team will arrive in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota. Before leaving on August 17, some of the players will participate in a camp at the National Cricket Academy in Karachi. The camps will take place on 14, 15, and 16 of August, respectively.