LAHORE - All-rounders Imad Wasim and Mohammad Hafeez have been recalled in Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting next week in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
It is over a year since Imad Wasim played the last of his 30 ODIs, in which he scored 430 runs with three half-centuries and took 28 wickets, maintaining an economy of 4.48, but he has impressed for Pakistan in T20Is recently, gaining two player of the match awards in succession in the first two games of their 3-0 series win over Australia.
The Swansea-born all-rounder is also a more accomplished batsman than Mohammad Nawaz, averaging 36 in ODIs compared to Nawaz’s 22, and 41 in first-class cricket to Nawaz’ 33. Nawaz played three games in the recent Asia Cup, but after taking 3/57 in his first appearance against Afghanistan went wicket-less against India and Bangladesh.
Hafeez was not part of Pakistan during the five-match series against Zimbabwe or the Asia Cup. Hafeez played the Test series against Australia where he returned to the side after two years to score a century in the first innings of the first Test. He followed it up with scores of 39, 40 and 32 as Pakistan hammered Australia 3-0 in the T20I series in the UAE. He scored another 45 in the first T20I against New Zealand that Pakistan won narrowly by two runs.
Interestingly, Pakistan pace attack includes three left-armers but there is still no place for seasoned Mohammad Aamir, who has been told to continue playing domestic cricket and regain his form. Amir remained wicket-less in his last five ODIs, which followed him being left out of Pakistan’s recent Test and T20I squads.
Fit-again Imam-ul-Haq, who was also included in ODI squad, fractured his finger while fielding during the first Test against Australia last month and was sidelined for the second Test and the subsequent T20 series against the Aussies and New Zealand. After undergoing a surgery on his injured finger, Imam returned to action on Friday in the semifinal of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy One-Day tournament here at Gaddafi Stadium. Also recalled is left-arm pacer Junaid Khan, who was overlooked for the Australia series after getting a chance in one match in the Asia Cup and bowling well against Bangladesh.
The squad is otherwise largely unchanged from Pakistan’s Asia Cup side, with Shan Masood, included in that 16-man side (though he didn’t play any match) the only other played omitted. Asif Ali retained his place, while Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq and Hafeez are the three opening options named. Sahibzada Farhan, who averages over 53 in List A cricket in Pakistan and was included in Pakistan’s squad for the T20I series against Australia and New Zealand, has failed to earn a call-up to the 50-over side. Shaheen Afridi, Junaid Khan, Hasan Ali and Usman Shinwari are the four fast bowlers in the side, while Shadab Khan and Imad are the specialist spin options.
Following the remaining one T20I against New Zealand on Sunday, Pakistan will take on the Blackcaps in the first ODI in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The second ODI will also be played in Abu Dhabi on November 9 while the third one to take place in Dubai on November 13.
PAKISTAN ODI SQUAD
Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Hafeez, Imam Ul Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Hassan Ali, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan Shinwari.