Mohammad Nawaz ‘grateful’ on return to Pakistan T20I squad

KARACHI: Pakistan’s spin all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz expressed his gratitude at being named in the national team’s T20I squad for the upcoming three-match away series against Bangladesh.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-member squad earlier today under the leadership of all-rounder Salman Ali Agha, with vice-captain Shadab Khan and pacer Haris Rauf missing out due to injuries.

Shadab recently underwent a successful shoulder surgery in the United Kingdom (UK), while Rauf sustained a Grade 1 hamstring injury during the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC).

Their exclusion paved the way for Nawaz to make his return to the national team squad, while left-arm pacer Salman Mirza earned his maiden call-up on the back of impressive performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10.

Reacting to his long-awaited return, Nawaz expressed delight by sharing an Instagram story.

“Great to be back with the national team, Alhamdulillah,” Nawaz captioned the story.

For the unversed, Nawaz’s last T20I appearance for Pakistan came in January 2024 against New Zealand and he has been away from the national team since then.

Following his exclusion from the national team, the 31-year-old all-rounder participated in the ninth edition of the PSL and could score 88 runs in eight matches and took just two wickets.

He then represented Rawalpindi in the National T20 Cup, played in March earlier this year, and mustered just 89 runs in three innings and claimed only two wickets.

His struggles continued in the recently held PSL 10, where he accumulated 88 runs in four matches for Islamabad United and bagged two wickets.

Consequently, his selection in the Pakistan squad for Bangladesh T20Is drew criticism as cricket fans flocked to social media to express their discontent.

“Pakistan going back to Mohammad Nawaz in T20Is as a left-arm spin option in the middle. Does this mean we have given up on preparing or developing youngsters like Arafat?” a user named Muhammad Aizaz wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“Mohammad Nawaz on what basis. Lols?” another user, named Ahmad Hussain questioned.