Pakistan and Afghanistan are all set to play their first-ever three-match bilateral T20I series, with the first game scheduled to take place at Sharjah Cricket Stadium today. The head-to-head record in this format favours Pakistan, who have emerged victorious in all of their three T20Is against neighbouring Afghanistan.
Pakistan, currently ranked No. 3 in the ICC T20I Team Rankings, will be led by dynamic all-rounder Shadab Khan in the absence of Babar Azam, who has been rested for the series. Shadab will captain a young Pakistan side, which includes four uncapped players in Ihsanullah, Saim Ayub, Tayyab Tahir and Zaman Khan. All of them have been rewarded for their stellar showings in the domestic circuit and HBL PSL 8.
Shadab Khan, while speaking on the eve of the series opener, looked forward to the challenge of facing Rashid Khan-captained Afghanistan and vowed to adopt an aggressive approach. He said, “I try to play an aggressive and attacking brand of cricket. Modern-day cricket demands you to be fearless as a captain. Afghanistan players have a lot of experience of playing in leagues around the globe. They are a formidable unit in these conditions and we will see a competitive series with our exciting young side.”
Pakistan’s T20I squad for the Afghanistan series features Shadab Khan (c), Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir and Zaman Khan. The series marks Pakistan’s first T20I assignment since their T20 World Cup campaign in Australia last year, where they finished the tournament as the runners-up.
The T20I series itinerary is as follows:
- 24 March – First T20I at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
- 26 March – Second T20I at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
- 27 March – Third T20I at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
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