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KARACHI: Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has explained the reason behind the inclusion of all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz for the forthcoming three-match series against Bangladesh.
While addressing the media, Salman Agha referred to Nawaz’s inclusion as a like-for-like replacement for Shadab Khan, who is out of the team due to shoulder surgery.
At the start of the month, Shadab Khan underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder in the United Kingdom (UK). As a result, Shadab Khan was ruled out of Pakistan’s upcoming white-ball assignments against Bangladesh and the West Indies.
“Nawaz was selected because of Shadab’s injury. Performance goes up and down, that’s why it is important to analyse the ability of a player,” Salman Agha explained.
It is noteworthy to mention that Mohammad Nawaz’s last T20I appearance for Pakistan came against New Zealand in January 2024. The 31-year-old was under scrutiny due to his lackluster run in both domestic and international cricket.
The skipper also spoke about selection and the team’s strategic planning for the forthcoming fixtures.
“There’s no shortage of talent in Pakistan. PSL has brought several new faces to the fore. No one is being ignored. Irfan Khan Niazi will lead the Shaheens on the Darwin tour,” he said.
“We’ve trained with conditions in the USA, Bangladesh, and the West Indies in mind. Even the pitches at the National Stadium were tailored with the tour in perspective. We have plenty of spin options available as well,” he disclosed.
Salman Agha remained optimistic about Bangladesh despite their impressive home record, noting that his goal is to take Pakistan cricket ahead.
“Bangladesh is a tough side at home. They’ve beaten strong teams in their conditions. We’ve prepared accordingly and are ready for the challenge. I enjoy taking challenges. Whether I’m captain or not, the goal is to improve Pakistan cricket,” Salman Agha concluded.
Pakistan squad for Bangladesh series:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim
READ: Salman Ali Agha opens up on Babar, Shaheen, Rizwan inclusion in T20I squad
