Abdul Samad has been appointed as the skipper for Pakistan Shaheens in the upcoming men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament. This 50-over event is set to take place in Qatar from 19th to 29th November.
The squad, comprising of 15 players, mostly brings together individuals with international cricket experience. Among the batsmen is Hasan Nawaz, who recently returned to Pakistan’s ODI team after a year-long absence, alongside Haider Ali, Maaz Sadaqat, Shamyl Hussain, Farhan Yousaf, and Shahzaib Khan.
Fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain, debuting in ODIs in 2019, heads the bowling line-up. Joining him are Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, and Sufyan Moqim, who participated in the Rawalpindi leg of the recent tri-series.
The selectors have included three all-rounders: Mohammad Imran, Saad Masood, and Danish Aziz; Rohail Nazir is the designated wicketkeeper. Imran recently made his mark in Tests with his debut against England at Edgbaston and has also played his first T20 international against Sri Lanka.
Yousaf and Shahzaib are the only squad members yet to debut for Pakistan. The Shaheens currently hold the T20 and 50-over Rising Stars Asia Cup titles, having emerged victorious in the 2023 edition with a decisive win over India A in Colombo.
Pakistan is placed in Group B alongside UAE, India A, and Nepal. Their campaign kicks off against UAE on 20th November, followed by a match against India A on 22nd November, and their final group-stage game on 25th November with Nepal. Group A consists of Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A, and Hong Kong, China. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals on 26th and 27th November.
Pakistan Shaheens Squad:
– Abdul Samad (capt)
– Ahmed Daniyal
– Akif Javed
– Danish Aziz
– Farhan Yousaf
– Haider Ali
– Hasan Nawaz
– Maaz Sadaqat
– Mohammad Hasnain
– Mohammad Imran
– Rohail Nazir (wk)
– Saad Masood
– Shahzaib Khan
– Shamyl Hussain
– Sufyan Moqim
