Islamabad [Pakistan], August 26 (ANI): Pakistan has made an addition to their Asia Cup 2023 squad, with the middle-order batter Saud Shakeel being added to Pakistan’s Asia Cup squad with Tayyab Tahir named as the travelling reserve. As per ICC, Shakeel was not a part of the initial 17-member squad and was the 18th member of the ODI squad for the Afghanistan bilateral series. Tahir, who was initially in the squad, did not play a game in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. He will travel with the team during the Asia Cup as a reserve player.
Shakeel, who made a return to the ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, played only a solitary game and made nine runs. Pakistan will play Nepal in their first game of the Asia Cup on August 30 in Multan. The team will arrive in Multan on August 27 with Babar Azam, Imam ul Haq and Naseem Shah joining up with the group on Monday evening.
The Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka will start from August 30 with the match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy set to serve as the Men in Blue’s campaign opener. Pakistan, India and Nepal are in Group A while Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are in Group B. The tournament will follow a hybrid model with Pakistan hosting four matches across two venues and Sri Lanka hosting the remaining games.
The six group-stage matches will be followed by the Super Fours, beginning September 6. The final will be played by the top two teams at the end of the Super Fours on September 17 in Colombo.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (travelling reserve). (ANI)
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