Shahid Afridi-led interim selection committee adds three uncapped players to Test squad
Shahid Afridi has added three uncapped players [Source: Twitter]
Pakistan's new interim selection committee under Shahid Afridi has been at the forefront ever since Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) came under new chairman Najam Sethi. On Tuesday, Pakistan's national men's selection panel added three uncapped players to their squad for the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.
Rewarded for their performances in the Pakistan Junior League (PJL) Arafat Minhas, Basit Ali, and Mohammad Zeeshan have been drafted into the Test squad to give them valuable exposure and experience.
Minhas was the best all-rounder in the PJL, scoring 178 and taking nine wickets for the Gwadar Sharks.
Basit, who played for the Bahawalpur Royals, was named the best player and batter, ending the season with 379 runs.
Zeeshan, who is Basit's teammate, was the leading wicket-taker in the PJL with 14 scalps.
Afridi, in his statement, said that the progress of uncapped players will be fast-tracked through this initiative.
"We are not only looking at present but also have an eye on the future. In this relation, we have added three top-performers from our age-group cricket so that they can spend time with their stars in the national side and learn how to plan and prepare for high pressure matches.
Although the three players will not be available for selection, this initiative will fast track their progress and provide them better awareness, understanding and knowledge about the rigours and demands of top-grade cricket,"
On the same day, Pakistan released players like Shahnawaz Dhani, Sajid Khan, and Mohammad Nawaz to play the Pakistan Cup for their domestic sides.
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