19-year-old Mohammad Wasim Jnr makes Pakistan debut, match marred by rain

Pakistan handed out the debut T20I cap to Islamabad United fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jnr. for the team’s first match in West Indies. Wasim, who is just 19-year-old was handed his cap by bowling coach Waqar Younis in a ceremony held ahead of the start of the match in Kensington Oval, Barbados.

In a video uploaded by Pakistan Cricket Board, skipper Babar Azam can be seen naming the playing XI for the first of the four T20Is against West Indies and it is during that he introduces Wasim saying that right arm fast bowler would be making his debut.

Earlier in the evening, PCB had uploaded another video Babar is seen going into Wasim’s hotel room and personally congratulating him on getting the Pakistan cap. He also advised the young man not to take any pressure and perform as he has done in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League.

Wasim, who has so far got 12 wickets in 11 PSL games and is a quick scorer of runs lower down the order was hugely excited for his debut. He said, “I would like to thank the almighty for this opportunity to represent my country. I would inform my mother and father back home about this and would like to thank all my coaches especially Abdul Razzaq (former Pakistan international) who always believed I was good enough to play for the country.”

As far as the match is concerned, not a single ball has been bowled after the toss which Pakistan won and decided to bowl first. There are three changes in the Men in Green's playing XI from their last T20I with Sohaib Maqsood making way for Sharjeel Khan as an opener and Azam Khan coming in for Imad Wasim while Mohammad Hasnain made way for Wasim Jr's debut.

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