LAHORE: Pakistan cricket board named a 15-player squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, which included 11 players from the side that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in England and Wales.
The squad include: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan and Shoaib Malik.
Four other players selected for the World Cup are: Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, 19-year-old Mohammad Hasnain and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Imam and Shaheen have featured in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2014 and 2018, respectively.
The selectors have also named Asif Ali and Mohammad Amir for the England T20I and ODIs to be played in the lead up to the World Cup from 5-19 May. Mohammad Amir was also part of the ICC Champions Trophy winning squad, and the two players will also serve as cover for the World Cup squad and, if required, can be drafted into the side until 23 May without ICC permission.
The World Cup squad is a combination of three openers, four middle-order batsmen, wicketkeeper/batsman in Sarfaraz Ahmed, two spinners and five fast bowlers. (Agencies)