LAHORE: Left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman has replaced leg-spinner, Usman Qadir, in the 15-member squad of the men’s cricket team for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Friday.
Following the conclusion of the T20I Tri-series in New Zealand, the PCB has made one change to their final squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting from October 16 in Australia, as left-arm batter Fakhar and leg-spinner Usman are swapping places.
The substitution was made as Usman failed to recover from a hairline fracture on his right thumb, which he sustained amid the historic T20I series against England.
The leg-spinner, therefore, will not be considered for selection before October 22.
Despite Usman’s exclusion from the 15-member squad, the leg-spinner would still accompany the national team in Australia as he is a part of the travelling reserves.
Fakhar, on the other hand, will join the national contingent in Brisbane along with ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and will be available for selection in green shirts’ two warm-up matches against England (October 17) and Afghanistan (October 19).
The team management will assess the left-handed batter’s fitness during the warm-up matches.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood.
Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir.
