ICC World Cup | Mohammad Amir excluded from provisional squad; Sarfraz Ahmed to lead Pakistan
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Pakistan national selectors have announced a 15-member provisional squad for the World Cup and have excluded Mohammed Amir from it. The Inzaman-ul-Haq-led selection committee has also brought Mohammed Hafeez into the team after he missed out on the last series due to a hand injury.
Less than two years ago, Mohammed Amir was at the forefront of Pakistan winning the Champions Trophy by beating India in the final in England. However, a dwindling form ever since has left the man from Punjab (Pakistan) out of the squad named by the PCB on Thursday for the showpiece event in 2019. However, he has a chance to make a late entry to the side as he was selected to play in the ODIs and T20Is in England and the form there will help him be in the 15-man squad.
Among other significant names in Pakistan cricket, pacer Usman Shinwari and pinch-hitter Abid Ali have also been kept out from the team while senior batsman Mohammad Hafeez has been picked, but his selection in the final 15 will be subject to fitness. The all-rounder suffered a hand injury earlier this year and was even replaced by Salman Butt in the Lahore Qalandars’ squad in this year's PSL.
Although ICC has set the deadline to announce the provisional squads as April 23 so as to arrange the logistics, teams can make changes till May 23 without seeking permission from the ICC's event technical committee.
Pakistan's provisional squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez (subject to fitness), Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hasnain
