Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan revamps squad; Faheem Ashraf returns, Tayyab Tahir receives maiden call-up

Pakistan Cricket shakes up its roster for the upcoming Afghanistan series and Asia Cup, as allrounder Faheem Ashraf makes a comeback after a break, and newcomer Tayyab Tahir earns his first international call-up.

Pakistan has made changes to their 17-member squad for the forthcoming series against Afghanistan and the Asia Cup, including the recall of allrounder Faheem Ashraf and the debut call-up for middle-order batter Tayyab Tahir. After a hiatus due to injuries and a decline in form, Faheem is making a return to the ODI scene, with Pakistan's penchant for seam-bowling allrounders motivating his comeback. Tayyab Tahir, on the other hand, is being rewarded for his standout performances in domestic cricket. His recent achievement of a century in the final of the Emerging Asia Cup also contributed to his selection.

In a press conference, Inzamam-ul-Haq, the newly-appointed chief national men's selector for Pakistan, highlighted the decision to prioritise Faheem Ashraf due to the team's need for an allrounder. He emphasised Faheem's good form in various tournaments, including the PSL.

Saud Shakeel, a middle-order batter, is also making a return to the ODI squad specifically for the Afghanistan series. The remainder of the squad remains consistent with the players retained from the recent home series against New Zealand. Notably, fast bowler Ihsanullah, middle-order batter Haris Sohail, and top-order batter Shan Masood have been omitted from the squad in a bid to solidify Pakistan's lineup for the upcoming World Cup in India.

Regarding Shan Masood's exclusion, Inzamam-ul-Haq explained that while Shan's overall performance across formats has been commendable, his performance in ODIs has seen a decline. He reassured that Shan remains a part of the broader plans with a pool of around 20-21 players, but recent impressive performances by players like Saud Shakeel led to Shan's omission from the current squad. Inzamam-ul-Haq, a former Pakistan captain, is in his second stint as the chief selector.

Squad: Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Ifthikar Ahmed, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Mohammad Wasim Jr