LAHORE: Fast bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf has replaced Mohammad Nawaz in Pakistan’s Playing XI for their first Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s fixture against Bangladesh on Wednesday.
According to the details, Faheem Ashraf, who made his ODI return in the recently-held ODI series between Pakistan and Afghanistan, managed to make a cut to Pakistan’s Playing XI for their first Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s fixture.
Our playing XI for the Super 4 match against Bangladesh 🇵🇰💪#AsiaCup2023 | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/kEfGMsvsgr
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 5, 2023
The Playing XI features Pakistan captain Babar Azam, his deputy Shadab Khan, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.
The Asia Cup 2023 group-stage clash between Pakistan and India marked the two team’s first faceoff in the ODI format since the 2019 World Cup. However, cricket fans’ quest to witness the much-anticipated clash got unsettled as persistent rain washed out the game.
Hosts Pakistan, who started their Asia Cup campaign with a crushing 238-run victory over Nepal in the curtain-raiser, became the first side to make it to the next round after sharing points with arch-rivals India.
Following their qualification in the Super 4s, Pakistan was poised to face either Bangladesh or Afghanistan.
But Bangladesh’s 89-run victory over Afghanistan a day later put them in a strong position to advance into the Super 4s.
Meanwhile, the last group-stage match of the ongoing Asia Cup between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will decide the fortune of the two sides in the tournament.
Sri Lanka set Afghanistan to chase 292, courtesy of a brilliant 92-run knock by wicketkeeper batter Kusal Mendis.
But Afghanistan will need to chase down the total in 37.1 Overs to pip Lanka to qualify for the Super 4s.
It is worth mentioning here that when this story was filed Afghanistan had raised 120/3 in 18 overs with Rahmat Shah (45) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (36) set on the crease.
READ: Mendis’ 92 powers Sri Lanka to 291 against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2023