Former Pakistan captain and team director Mohammad Hafeez is unhappy with the squad selection for five-T20I series against New Zealand. Hafeez whose stint as Pakistan’s team director was cut short took to X and posted ‘RIP Pakistan domestic cricket’ hours after the squad announcement.
The Wahab Riaz-led selection committee recalled Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir. The duo recently came out of international retirement after a successful Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 season. Riaz said that they were included as Haris Rauf is out of action due to shoulder injury and Mohammad Nawaz has struggled for form.
"The decision to include Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir was a straightforward one, given their availability for selection and considering Haris Rauf's injury and Mohammad Nawaz's current form. Both Amir and Imad possess undeniable match-winning capabilities, and we trust they will consistently deliver strong performances to bolster the team's objectives," Riaz said in a press conference.
"We have communicated our overarching selection policy and strategy to all elite players, and there is complete alignment within the group. To ensure the policy's implementation in letter and spirit, I will closely collaborate with the team management during the series," he added.
Riaz also revealed that the squad for the five-T20I series against the Michael Bracewell-led side is picked keeping in mind the T20 World Cup which will take place in June in the USA and West Indies.
When Hafeez was sacked abruptly
Earlier, this year, Hafeez had vowed to expose Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as he was sacked as team director ended in just two months.
"I always prioritise and represented Pakistan with dignity and pride. I accepted the new role as a Director PCB with great passion to make positive reforms but unfortunately my designated tenure which was offered by Pakistan Cricket Board for 4 years was cut short for 2 months on the account of new chairmanship. Best wishes for Pakistan cricket future. As always, I foremost take responsibility and put myself accountable for all my executions in my given time and will accordingly reveal all the cricketing and other amateur non cricketing facts which ensue bad performances. Stay tuned...," Hafeez wrote on X.
Pakistan squad for New Zealand T20Is
Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan
Non-travelling reserves
Haseebullah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, and Salman Ali Agha
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