Mohammad Wasim Jr cricket: Sharjeel Khan returns to Pakistan’s Playing 11 vs West Indies; Sohaib Maqsood left out

Mohammad Wasim Jr: Pakistan have handed a debut to their 19-year old right-arm fast bowler in the first T20I against West Indies.

During the first T20I of the ongoing Pakistan’s tour of West Indies in Barbados, Pakistan captain Babar Azam has won the toss and chose to field.

Playing a T20I in West Indies after more than four years and at Bridgetown after more than a decade, the visitors would be well aware of the sluggish nature of the pitch as was the case during the recently concluded ODI series between West Indies and Australia.

As far as West Indies are concerned, regular captain Kieron Pollard, who didn’t mince words while criticizing the surface at the Kensington Oval earlier this week, had returned to the shortest format after missing a five-match series against Australia.

Who is Mohammad Wasim Jr?

Talking about the Playing XI for this match, Pakistan have made a couple of changes to the XI which had faced England at Old Trafford. Batsman Sohail Maqsood and fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain have been replaced by batsman Azam Khan and debutant fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jr.

Having played for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League, Wasim Jr has picked 12 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 28, an economy rate of 8.40 and a strike rate of 20. Still early days into his professional career, the 19-year old player has just played five first-class ans six List A matches.

West Indies Playing XI for 1st T20I – 1) Lendl Simmons 2) Evin Lewis 3) Chris Gayle 4) Shimron Hetmyer 5) Nicholas Pooran (wk) 6) Andre Russell) 7 Kieron Pollard (c) 8) Dwayne Bravo 9) Hayden Walsh Jr 10) Akeal Hosein 11) Sheldon Cottrell

Pakistan Playing XI for 1st T20I – 1) Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 2) Sharjeel Khan 3) Babar Azam (c) 4) Fakhar Zaman 5) Mohammad Hafeez 6) Azam Khan 7) Shadab Khan 8) Hasan Ali 9) Mohammad Wasim Jnr 10) Shaheen Shah Afridi 11) Usman Qadir