Junaid to lead Pakistan A against English Lions

16-member squad announced for five-match T20 series

KARACHI: Junaid Khan will captain Pakistan A against England Lions in a five-match T20 series in December while Sohaib Maqsood will be his deputy, announced the Haroon Rasheed-led national selection committee as they announced the 16-member squad on Monday.

Left-arm pacer Junaid has struggled to break into the Test side — the only format he is currently being considered for — while Sohaib was dumped out of the ODI squad after a poor run.

Other international players named for the series, with the matches scheduled to be played on December 7, 10, 11, 13 and 16 in Dubai at the ICC Academy ground, are Shahzaib Hasan, Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Aamer Yamin, Bilal Asif, Iftikhar Ahmed and Saad Naseem.

Khan do attitude: Junaid eager to reclaim his place

“With the ICC World T20 around the corner, all fringe players in contention for a place in the Pakistan T20 squad have been given the opportunity to establish their credentials before the mega event,” said Rasheed. “The committee will closely monitor their performances.”

Former Test player Tauseef Ahmed has been made coach and Zakir Khan will carry out his duties as the team’s manager.

The 16-member squad: Junaid Khan (c), Saifulah Bangash (wk) Sharjeel Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Shahzeb Hasan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sohaib Maqsood (vc), Mohammad Nawaz, Bilal Asif, Babar Azam, Kashif Bhatti, Amir Yamin, Saad Nasim, Mir Hamza, Ziaul Haq, Ruman Raees.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2015.

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