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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has revealed the 15-player lineup for the upcoming ACC Men’s Emerging Asia Cup 2023, which is set to take place in Sri Lanka from July 14 to July 23. The tournament will see eight nations participate, with their ‘A’ teams competing for the prestigious title.
Pakistan ‘A’ was referred to as ‘Pakistan Shaheens‘ by the PCB in their squad announcement press release. The board has appointed talented wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris as the captain of the side.
Haris has represented Pakistan in five ODIs and nine T20Is so far and was also part of team’s limited-over series squad that faced New Zealand at home during April and May. Meanwhile, the role of Haris’ deputy has been given to the promising 24-year-old batter Omair Yousuf.
Although Yousuf has yet to debut in international cricket, his impressive record in first-class matches and domestic T20 games showcases his abilities. Yousuf has amassed 2,687 runs at an average of 43.33 in 40 first-class matches. In T20s, he has scored 290 runs in 10 innings with an average of 41.42 and a strike rate of 145. He was also the highest run-scorer for Pakistan A in their recent series against Zimbabwe A, scoring 275 runs across four matches.
Shahnawaz Dahani is another notable name in the Pakistan A squad. Dahani is a tall right-arm fast bowler renowned for his pace in Pakistan’s domestic cricket circuit. The 24-year-old has represented his country in two ODIs and 11 T20Is.
It is worth mentioning that the Pakistan A team embarked on a tour to Zimbabwe in May, where they competed in six 50-over matches against Zimbabwe A and experienced a 4-2 defeat.
Speaking of Pakistan Shaheens’ fixtures in the ACC Men’s Emerging Asia Cup 2023, the side has been kept in Group A alongside India A, Nepal A and Sri Lanka A. They will start their campaign against Nepal on July 14.
Pakistan Shaheens’ squad:
Mohammad Haris (c/wk), Omair Bin Yousuf (vc), Amad Butt, Arshad Iqbal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mubasir Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shahnawaz Dahani, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir
Non-traveling reserves: Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Junaid and Rohail Nazir