During the first of a three-match T20I series between Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Pakistan stand-in captain Shadab Khan has won the toss and chose to bat.
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Khan, one of the most successful captains in the history of the Pakistan Super League, is leading the national team for the fourth time tonight. Only his second series as captain of Pakistan, the 24-year old player had first led them during the tour of New Zealand in 2020.
“Exciting and proud moment for me to lead the country. The pitch, I don’t know, doesn’t look the regular Sharjah pitch. The team has gelled in due to playing together in the PSL [Pakistan Super League],” Shadab Khan told the host broadcaster at the toss.
Why is Babar Azam not playing today vs Afghanistan?
It is only for the fourth time when Pakistan have handed debuts to as many as four cricketers in the shortest format. Coming on the back of a PSL season back home, top domestic performers in Saim Ayub (Peshawar Zalmi), Tayyab Tahir (Karachi Kings), Zaman Khan (Lahore Qalandars) and Ihsanullah (Multan Sultans) are all playing their first international match in Sharjah tonight.
While Ayub (341 runs at a strike rate of 165.53) and Tahir (137 runs at a strike rate of 144.21) are specialist batters, Zaman Khan (15 wickets at a strike rate of 16.6) and Ihsanullah (22 wickets at a strike rate of 12.4) are specialist pacers.
In addition to these four debutants, batter Abdullah Shafique, wicket-keeper batter Azam Khan and all-rounder Imad Wasim have also been handed opportunities in a grand total of seven changes to the Playing XI which participated in ICC T20 World Cup 2022 final against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The development means that neither of captain Babar Azam, wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan, batters Shan Masood and Iftikhar Ahmed and fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf are playing on a Friday night.
It is worth mentioning that first-choice players namely Azam, Rizwan, Afridi and Rauf have all been rested for this tour in order to manage their workloads.
