Pakistan team announced for T20I series against New Zealand, two players out due to important reasons

 

 The Pakistan team's squad was announced on Tuesday for the five-match T20I series (NZ vs PAK) against New Zealand from January 12 to 21. The names of Mohammad Haris and Shadab Khan are missing from the 17-member squad. This will be fast bowler Shaheen Afridi's debut series as T20I captain.

Mohammad Haris has not got a place in the Pakistan team since the Asia Cup but selection committee chairman Wahab Riaz clarified that the player is still in the plans and he has just been rested. During the press conference in Lahore, Riaz said,

We have rested Mohammad Haris for this series. We know his potential and he is part of our plans moving forward. There were some domestic players in first-class cricket who we wanted to give a chance and increase our pool of players, so we rested Haris from this tour.

He further talked about Shadab Khan and described him as very important in the T20I set-up. The right-arm spin all-rounder has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury. Riyaz said,

Shadab Khan is a very important member of Pakistan T20 cricket. Unfortunately, he injured his ankle during the National T20 and needs two more weeks of rehabilitation. After this he will be available for bowling.

Whereas Haris Rauf, about whom Wahab had claimed that he had withdrawn from playing in the current Test series against Australia, will be seen in Pakistan jersey in New Zealand.

Pakistan team for T20I series against New Zealand

Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasibullah Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Sam Ayub, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan