LAHORE: Imran Butt-led Pakistan Shaheens departed for Zimbabwe in the wee hours of Sunday to feature to play two four-dayers and six 50-over matches. The matches will be staged in Harare, Kwekwe and Mutare from 3 to 27 May.

Prior to their departure, Pakistan Shaheens had finalized their preparation in a two-day camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on 28 and 29 April before going through an 11-day camp at the Hanif Muhammad High Performance Centre in Karachi. The squad includes 16 players and four reserve players. Six players apart from the captain and Test cricketer Imran Butt have already represented Pakistan in international cricket. Other internationally capped players include Hussain Talat (1 ODI, 18 T20Is), Kamran Ghulam (1 ODI), Mir Hamza (3 Tests), Mohammad Ali (2 Tests), Shahnawaz Dahani (2 ODIs, 11 T20Is) and Saim Ayub (8 T20Is).

“We have had a rigorous training camp for the Pakistan Shaheens team ahead of our tour to Zimbabwe. The players have put in a lot of hard work and effort to prepare for this important series.” said team skipper Imran Butt.

“The side consists of experienced and young players. We have some very talented individuals in the side who are eager to showcase their skills on the international stage. “The team is in good spirits and looking forward to the challenge of playing in Zimbabwe. We are confident that we have the right mix of players to put up a strong performance.”

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

Published in The Daily National Courier, May, 01 2023

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