Did not get clearance from PCB for Sharjeel’s inclusion: Afridi

Interim chief selector named a 16-member squad for New Zealand ODIs

January 05, 2023
Sharjeel Khan raises his bat after scoring a century — AFP

KARACHI: Opening batter Sharjeel Khan’s possible return to Pakistan’s white-ball squad was delayed as selection committee could not get green signal from the PCB Management Committee for the left-hander’s inclusion.

Sharjeel was included in 24 probable players for the series and was considered to be among favorites for the inclusion in three ODIs against New Zealand.

However, he was not named in the 16-member squad announced on Thursday.

Interim selection committee’s chairman Shahid Afridi confirmed that he did not get green signal from the PCB to include Sharjeel in the team.

“Sharjeel Khan was included in the probable players list seeing his performance in domestic but was not retained in final squad as I did not get green signal from PCB chairman on his inclusion in the team,” said Afridi directing towards the spot-fixing scandal occurred during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in UAE.

Khan was named in PSL spot-fixing scandal in 2017 and was suspended for five years from playing any form of cricket. Half of his sentence was suspended which allowed him to make a comeback in 2019.

He subsequently played in PSL and domestic tournaments and toured with Pakistan team to Zimbabwe, South Africa and West Indies to play T20Is.

His last 50-over game in Pakistan shirt was against Australia in January 2017.

Pakistan’s ODI squad:

Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir and Usama Mir

Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.

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