Share

Pakistan leaves Hafeez out of Asia Cup cricket squad

Lahore - Pakistan left all-rounders Mohammad Hafeez and Imad Wasim out of a 16-man squad for the six-nation Asia Cup, to be played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from next week, selectors announced on Tuesday. 

But left-handed opener Shan Masood gets his first chance in Pakistan's one-day squad after scoring 1 200-plus runs in the two domestic one-day tournaments, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said. 

The 28-year-old has so far played 12 Tests for Pakistan. 

Sarfraz Ahmed will lead the side, which opens their Cup campaign against the wildcard entrant on September 16 before taking on arch-rivals India in a highly-anticipated match three days later. Both rounds are in Dubai. 

Hafeez, 37 was part of Pakistan's 5-0 one-day series win in Zimbabwe in July, but was not played in any of the matches. 

"We conducted fitness tests and since there is no compromise on fitness we have not included Hafeez and Imad Wasim," Inzamam told media while announcing the squad in Lahore. 

The Asia Cup begins September 15 and features India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and a qualifier team. 

Six teams - Hong Kong, Singapore, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Malaysia - are currently facing off in Kuala Lumpur to secure the final berth. 

Cup teams are divided in two groups. Two sides are culled for the Super Four rounds, after which the top two finishers go to the September 28 final in Dubai.

Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Haris Sohail, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Usman Khan Shinwari and Shaheen Shah Afridi

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
64% - 468 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
36% - 262 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE