Rohail Nazir to lead Pakistan Shaheens in Darwin series

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday appointed wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir as the Pakistan Shaheens captain for the Top End T20 Series in Darwin, Australia, which is being organised by Northern Territory Cricket (NTC) from 30 July to 6 August.

Apart from the NTC side, NT Strike, and Pakistan Shaheens, Australian Capitol Territory’s ACT Comets, Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades and Papua New Guinea (PNG) will participate in the six-team tournament in a T20 format with the top-two sides progressing to the final.

At the backend of the T20 matches, Shaheens will also play two 50-over matches against PNG and NT Strike on 8 and 9 August, respectively.

The Darwin tour is part of the PCB’s policy to create more opportunities for the emerging cricketers to play away cricket in different conditions against different oppositions across all formats so that they can hone their skills and also expand the pool of players. In this relation, Pakistan Shaheens recently toured Zimbabwe and are presently in Sri Lanka for the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup. Shaheens will also take part in the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 from 19 September to 8 October.

Rohail Nazir has played 33 first-class matches and has previously captained Pakistan Shaheens. He recently toured Zimbabwe where the Shaheens’ squad played two four-dayers and six 50-over matches in May.

Aaliyan Mahmood made his first-class debut in the 2022-23 season, while Basit Ali and Shawaiz Irfan featured in the U19 series against Bangladesh in Multan in 2022. Faisal Akram and Mohammad Irfan Khan were on the roaster of Karachi Kings for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2023. Right-arm fast Syed Zeeshan Zameer featured for Islamabad United in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2023.

In addition to the above cricketers, the side also includes seven teenagers who were part of the Pakistan U19 squad that toured Bangladesh for a four-dayer, five 50-over and one T20 match series in May 2023. They are Amir Hassan, Ali Asfand, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Sajjad Ali, Shamyl Hussain and Wahaj Riaz.

Pakistan Shaheens squad:

Rohail Nazir (captain), Aaliyan Mahmood, Ahmad Khan, Ali Asfand, Amir Hassan, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Basit Ali, Faisal Akram, Sajjad Ali, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Shawaiz Irfan, Syed Zeeshan Zameer and Wahaj Riaz

Schedule of Pakistan Shaheens’ matches:

30 Jul – vs NT Strike (T20)

31 Jul – vs ACT Comets (T20)

1 Aug – vs Melbourne Renegades (T20)

2 Aug – vs Melbourne Stars (T20)

4 Aug – vs PNG (T20)

6 Aug – Final

8 Aug – vs PNG (50-over)

9 Aug – vs NT Strike (50-over)