Lahore, 24 May 2024: The Pakistan Cricket Board has disclosed its 15-member contingent for the forthcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to unfold in the USA and Caribbean from 1-29 June. This squad will be captained by the illustrious Babar Azam.
Squad (arranged alphabetically):
- Babar Azam (captain)
- Abrar Ahmed
- Azam Khan
- Fakhar Zaman
- Haris Rauf
- Iftikhar Ahmed
- Imad Wasim
- Mohammad Abbas Afridi
- Mohammad Amir
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Naseem Shah
- Saim Ayub
- Shadab Khan
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Usman Khan
No reserves have been designated.
Player support personnel:
- Wahab Riaz (senior team manager)
- Mansoor Rana (team manager)
- Gary Kirsten (head coach)
- Azhar Mahmood (assistant coach)
- Simon Helmot (fielding coach)
- David Reid (mental performance coach)
- Aftab Khan (high-performance coach)
- Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist)
- Irtaza Komail (chief security officer)
- Mohammad Imran (masseur)
- Mohammad Khurram Sarwar (team doctor)
- Talha Ijaz (analyst)
- Raza Kitchlew (media and digital manager)
- Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach)
The team announcement was ratified on Friday afternoon (UK time) subsequent to a two-hour deliberation by the selection committee. Attendees included Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Bilal Afzal, Gary Kirsten, Mohammad Yousuf, and Wahab Riaz.
Of the 15 players, Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Saim Ayub, and Usman Khan are poised for their inaugural T20 World Cup appearances. Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim last graced the tournament in 2016 and 2021 respectively. The remaining eight players were part of the 2022 squad in Australia.
“This squad embodies a harmonious blend of seasoned expertise and youthful exuberance. The players have synergized well over time and appear primed and composed for the upcoming spectacle.
“Haris Rauf is exhibiting peak fitness and exceptional form in training sessions. Although it would have been advantageous for him to play at Headingley, we are confident in his upward trajectory and anticipate his pivotal role alongside other key bowlers in the T20 World Cup.”
Pakistan boasts a formidable legacy in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007 in South Africa. Triumphing in the 2009 event under Younis Khan’s leadership, they also reached the finals in 2007 under Shoaib Malik and in 2022 under Babar Azam. The team reached the semi-finals in 2010, 2012, and 2021.
Pakistan’s match itinerary:
- 6 June – vs USA, Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas
- 9 June – vs India, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
- 11 June – vs Canada, Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York
- 16 June – vs Ireland, Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida
Pakistan has been seeded as A2 in the initial round. Should they advance to the Super Eight, their fixtures will be:
- 19 June – vs D1, Antigua
- 21 June – vs C2, Barbados
- 23 June – vs B1, Barbados
