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Pak arrive in Lauderhill for WI series

Pak arrive in Lauderhill for WI series

Express Tribune6 days ago
Pakistan will begin the tour with a three-match T20I series against the West Indies. Photo: PCB
The Pakistan cricket squad arrived in Lauderhill, Florida, on Sunday via Dubai in two separate groups, ahead of the three-match T20 International series against the West Indies next month.
According to details, the second group comprising Mohammad Haris, Hussain Talat, Hasan Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, along with the coaching and support staff, departed recently and has now joined the squad in the USA.
The first group, including T20I captain Agha Salman, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, and Faheem Ashraf, had already left for Lauderhill on Friday.
Meanwhile, emerging pacers Ahmed Daniyal, Salman Mirza, and Abbas Afridi—who failed to retain their places in the squad—have returned to Pakistan from Dhaka.
The Men in Green will begin the tour with a three-match T20I series against the West Indies, with fixtures scheduled for July 31, August 2, and August 3 at the Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, USA.
All-rounder Agha Salman will lead the T20I side, which sees the return of key pacers Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Following the T20Is, both teams will contest a three-match ODI series, set to be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago on August 8, 10, and 12.
Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan will captain the 16-member ODI squad, which includes one uncapped player, Hasan Nawaz.
Senior stars Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been recalled to strengthen the lineup for the 50-over format.
Pakistan T20I Squad: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem.
Pakistan ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem.
Doubtful Shadab
Pakistan's T20 vice-captain Shadab Khan is likely to miss the Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28, as he continued to recover from shoulder surgery.
The all rounder underwent successful surgery in the UK earlier in July after sustaining a shoulder injury, which had already ruled him out of the three match T20I series against Bangladesh and the ongoing West Indies tour.
According to sources, Shadab will need a minimum of three months to regain full fitness and return to competitive cricket.
This timeline made his participation in the Asia Cup highly unlikely, with his return expected only in October.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet named a replacement for the deputy captaincy role.
During the Bangladesh series, no vice captain was appointed in Shadab's absence and the squad announced for the West Indies tour also did not include a designated deputy to skipper Salman Ali Agha.
The PCB has yet to release an official timeline for his recovery or confirm any plans for a potential return.
For the unversed, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) recently unveiled the highly anticipated schedule for the Men's Asia Cup 2025, confirming that arch-rivals India and Pakistan will lock horns on September 14 in the UAE.
This edition of the continental event will follow the T20 format, serving as a crucial warm-up ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The tournament features eight teams split into two groups. Group A consists of India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman, while Group B includes Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong.
The event kicks off on September 9 with the curtain-raiser between Afghanistan and Hong Kong.
Pakistan will begin their campaign against Oman on September 12, followed by the high-voltage clash against India two days later.
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