LAHORE, 3rd Jan 2024: Pakistan’s High-Performance coach Yasir Arafat has expressed confidence in the young players selected for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, emphasising the potential of rising talents.
Following the conclusion of Pakistan’s rigorous training camp for the T20I series, Yasir Arafat commended the dedication of top-order batsmen Haseebullah Khan and Sahibzada Farhan. In particular, he spoke highly of Haseebullah, saying, “Haseebullah is a very exciting cricketer. I have been following him since he played Under-19 World Cup two years ago. Apart from him, Sahibzada Farhan has shown significant improvement,” he said.
Commenting on pace bowler Abbas Afridi, Yasir Arafat hinted at the player’s potential to evolve into an all-rounder. “Abbas Afridi has the potential to become a good all-rounder. I really like his attitude. In current times, it is essential for a bowler to work on their batting as well,” remarked the coach, underlining the importance of a holistic skill set.
Ahmed Shehzad’s inclusion comes on the back of his impressive performances in the National T20 Cup 2023. The right-handed batter scored 344 runs from nine matches at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 133.33. When asked about Ahmed Shehzad’s performance in the training camp, Yasir Arafat praised the top-order batter for making a strong comeback after a lean patch in recent years.
“It was great to see Ahmed Shahzad back to form after a lean patch for the past few years. He was one of the fittest players in the camp and was good with the bat too,” Yasir Arafat added. Ahmed Shehzad’s last appearance was in a T20I match against Sri Lanka at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on October 7, 2019.
As Pakistan prepares for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, commencing from January 12 to 21, 2024, in New Zealand, Yasir Arafat’s confidence in the emerging talents sets an optimistic tone. This series marks Shaheen Afridi’s debut as the T20I captain, succeeding Babar Azam after his resignation.
PAKISTAN SQUAD FOR NZ TOUR:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Zaman Khan, Aamir Jamal, Azam Khan (wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Haseebullah Khan (wk), and Abbas Afridi.
