PAK v SL | Pakistan recall Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal to T20 side
Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal have been recalled to the Pakistan T20I set-up for the three-match Sri Lanka series at home after 16 months and three years respectively. The squad also includes Faheem Ashraf, while Mohammad Rizwan, Abid Ali and opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq missed out.
Shehzad last featured in a T20I in June 2018 against Scotland, after which he was suspended when tested positive for a banned substance. Akmal, on the other hand, had got into an ugly spat with then head coach Mickey Arthur, leading to a three-match ban and a PKR 1 million fine. However, he never made it back into the mix since that incident in 2016.Â
The statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) clarified Imam’s absence in the squad is due to the hand injury he sustained during the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Karachi. Other notable inclusions come in the form of Iftikhar Ahmed, who is expected to partner with Shadab Khan in the spin department, and Mohammad Nawaz, who would be playing his first T20 in more than a year.
The three T20Is will all be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from October 5 to 9, as the world's No.1 T20 side looking to continue their reign.Â
Pakistan T20I squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt & wk), Babar Azam (vice-capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Umar Akmal, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz.
