Pakistan Shaheens’ top-order batter Sahibzada Farhan has been ruled out of the upcoming Zimbabwe tour due to a right thumb injury. The 27-year-old Sahibzada had fractured his right thumb in a practice game during the 11-day training camp at the Hanif Muhammad High Performance Centre in Karachi.
He has been replaced by left-handed batter Saim Ayub for the six 50-over matches to be played from 17 to 27 May. Saim, along with Team Consultant Abdul Rehman, will arrive in Harare after the second four-day match, which will finish on 13 May.
The 20-year old Saim has featured for Pakistan in eight T20Is and was part of the Pakistan men’s team in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Shaheens will undergo a two-day camp in Lahore on 28 and 29 April, before their departure for Harare from Lahore on 30 April.
Under Imran Butt’s leadership, Pakistan Shaheens will feature in two four-dayers and six one-day matches.
Pakistan Shaheens: Imran Butt (captain) (Lahore), Hussain Talat (vice-captain) (Lahore), Aamir Jamal (Islamabad), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Quetta), Haseebullah (Quetta), Kamran Ghulam (Peshawar), Mehran Mumtaz (Rawalpindi), Mir Hamza (Karachi), Mohammad Ali (Sialkot), Mohammad Huraira (Sialkot), Mubasir Khan (Islamabad), Omair Bin Yousuf (Karachi), Qasim Akram (Lahore), Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper) (Islamabad) and Shahnawaz Dahani (Larkana). Saim Ayub (Karachi, 50-over matches only). Asif Mehmood (Hyderabad), Athar Mehmood (Gujranwala), Saad Khan (Hyderabad) and Waqar Ahmad (Peshawar) (all reserves)
Player Support Personnel – Aizaz Cheema (coach), Imran Abbas (manager), Saboor Ahmed (trainer), Muhammad Asad (physiotherapist) and Faisal Rai (team analyst). Abdul Rehman (Team Consultant, for 50-over matches only)
Tour schedule:
3-6 May – 1st Four-day match; KSC, Kwekwe
10- 13 May – 2nd Four-day match; MSC, Mutare
17 May – 1st 50-over match; TSC, Harare
19 May – 2nd 50-over match; HSC, Harare
21 May – 3rd 50-over match; HSC, Harare
23 May – 4th 50-over match; OH, Harare
25 May – 5th 50-over match; HSC, Harare
27 May – 6th 50-over match; HSC, Harare