LAHORE: Hours after pulling out of Pakistan’s touring party to New Zealand, newly-appointed batting coach Mohammad Yousuf said he will be travelling with the squad.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had announced that Yousuf had opted out due to his daughter’s illness with a new-look Pakistan team scheduled to leave for New Zealand in the wee hours of Wednesday to play five Twenty20 Internationals and three One-day Internationals against the Black Caps.
Three hours after the initial notification of his withdrawal, the PCB issued another statement announcing the batting great will be on the flight after his daughter’s health had improved.
“Doctors have informed me that the health of my daughter is now better so now I am going with the team to New Zealand,” Yousuf was quoted as saying.
Pakistan ended their short training camp at the LCCA Ground on Monday night with newcomers in the T20 side, Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Ali, vowing to give their best in New Zealand.
Power-hitter Samad was called up to the side for the first time following impressive performances in the Champions T20 Cup and said he has been asked by the team management to “play his natural game according to the demand in the middle order”. “New Zealand are a strong side but we feel we have our bases covered,” he added.
Hasan is the first player from Layyah to be called up to the Pakistan squad and the opener was “ready to bat at any position”. “The batting conditions in New Zealand are rather tough but the players have been asked to play a fearless brand of cricket,” he said.
After Pakistan’s dismal performances at the Champions Trophy, where they were knocked out in the group stage, head coach Aaqib Javed had vowed Pakistan would show more “intent” as they look to form a strong unit for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup.
A raft of new players have been called upon for the New Zealand series with 32-year-old fast bowler Ali, who has played four Tests for Pakistan, coming in the reckoning for the national team in the game’s shortest format.
Ali, who was part of the Multan Sultans side that lost the final of last season’s Pakistan Super League, looked forward to a “great opportunity”.
“I think I’ll be able to handle the pressure [of bowling in T20Is],” he told reporters. “I’m not competing with anyone else [for a spot in the national team], my aim is to help Pakistan win.”
Pakistan squads:
T20I: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan.
ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Moqim and Tayyab Tahir. A wicketkeeper/batter will be added to the ODI squad following the T20Is.
Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2025
