Shaheen Shah Afridi, a pacer, is expected to make a full recovery when Pakistan's 15-man selection for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia is announced on Thursday.
Afridi missed the Asia Cup when the medical staff recommended a 4-6 week break due to a right knee ligament ailment. During the first Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle in July, he sustained an injury while playing the field.
Shaheen, who is receiving treatment for a knee injury in London, is anticipated to start bowling again early next month, according to a statement from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
In addition, left-hander Shan Masood, who has yet to participate in a T20I, and Haider Ali, who last played in the format in December 2021, were both included in the team.
Masood received his first T20I call-up after having a successful run in the T20 Blast in England. He has participated in Tests and ODIs for Pakistan, most recently doing so in the longest format in 2021.
However, the explosive batsman Fakhar Zaman was demoted to the reserves, and despite considerable speculation, the veteran Shoaib Malik was not called up. Fakhar, who is still in the reserves after a disappointing 2022 with the bat, is replaced by Haider. The left-hander has appeared in seven T20 Internationals this year, scoring just 96 runs overall with an average of 13.71.
The last T20 International Haider, who is 21 years old, played for Pakistan in was in December 2021. He has three fifty-sixes and a 23.88 format average.
"Our team has the potential to compete well in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022. Because of this, we have demonstrated our faith and confidence in nearly the same group of players who have been a member of the T20I squad following the 2021 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, according to chief selector Mohammad Wasim.
"Since November 2021, these guys have performed effectively, and as a result, we have won nine out of our past 13 T20Is. Since we have invested in these cricket players, it is only right that they be given the chance to prove themselves at the World Cup, an event for which they have been working hard to get ready.
"We had to make sure that these guys had support and stability, and we have done just that. The news that Shaheen Shah Afridi would likely start bowling again early next month is promising "Added he.
Prior to the T20 World Cup, the same team will participate in the tri-series, which also features Bangladesh, in New Zealand.
The three travelling reserves are Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Fakhar Zaman. In the seven-match T20I series against England, the same team—minus Shaheen Afridi and Fakhar Zaman—will take the field.
The selectors have chosen Northern all-rounder Aamir Jamal and Sindh's unidentified spinner Abrar Ahmed to play against England in place of Afridi and Zaman.
T20 World Cup squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani