Three Pakistan pacers out of PCB’s plans for Bangladesh series: sources
Naseem and Jamal are currently recovering from injuries
KARACHI: Pacers Naseem Shah, Aamer Jamal and rising star Ali Raza have been ruled out of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) immediate plans for the upcoming tours of Bangladesh and the West Indies.
According to the sources, Naseem and Jamal are currently recovering from injuries and require more time to regain full fitness.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Ali Raza, who impressed in PSL 10 while playing for Peshawar Zalmi, has been sidelined due to an eye condition that affects his vision under floodlights.
He is scheduled to consult a specialist and will be groomed through the Pakistan Shaheens setup.
As Pakistan cricket undergoes a period of transition, sources suggest that former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and ex-pacer Sikandar Bakht have been informally tasked with monitoring the selection committee and identifying overlooked talent.
Their consistent presence at selection meetings signals growing influence, although the PCB has yet to officially confirm their roles.
In a recent selection committee meeting held in Lahore, the group—comprising Aaqib Javed, foreign consultant Mike Hesson, and cricketer Salman Ali Agha—unanimously backed giving wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir an opportunity in the upcoming T20I series.
Mike Hesson is expected to return to Karachi on July 7, just ahead of the training camp for the Bangladesh series, which begins on July 10.
An official announcement from the PCB regarding the appointments of Sarfaraz and Bakht is still pending.
It is pertinent to mention that Ali Raza had a standout PSL 10 campaign, taking 12 wickets in nine matches at an average of 25.25 and an economy rate of 9.18.
In contrast, senior pacer Naseem Shah had a lukewarm tournament, claiming nine wickets in 10 matches with an economy rate of 9.30.
Though selected for the T20I series against Bangladesh, Naseem did not feature in any of the matches, and his participation in upcoming series remains uncertain.
For the unversed, Pakistan is most likely to face Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series in July, as proposed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), with an official announcement yet to be made.
Following that, the Salman Agha-led Men in Green are scheduled to travel to the USA for a three-match ODI and T20I series against the West Indies in August.
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