Pakistan's cricket team has announced its squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup tournament, with former captain Babar Azam making a surprise return to the side. The news came just a day after the PCB's chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, expressed doubt over the team's participation in the event, which is set to begin on February 7.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan's plans for the World Cup, the team has been named as part of the tournament, with selectors opting to stick with several key players who were thought to be at risk. However, fast bowler Haris Rauf has been left out of the squad, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has also been excluded.
Babar's return was a major boost for Pakistan, who are scheduled to play all their games in Sri Lanka due to strained relations with India. The former captain, known for his exceptional batting skills, is expected to come in handy on the slow pitches that will dominate the Sri Lankan tournament.
Head coach Mike Hesson acknowledged that Babar's ability to control the middle overs and feed strikes to other players would be invaluable to Pakistan's chances. However, he also noted that the team's selection was influenced by their performances in different conditions - including Australia, where they face a very different challenge compared to the Sri Lankan tournament.
Pakistan's selectors have opted for a strong spin bowling lineup, with four spinners named in the squad, alongside several other key players. The team will begin their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 and will also play matches against the US, India, Namibia, and Scotland before moving on to the playoffs if they progress.
With Babar Azam back in the fold, Pakistan now look like a more formidable force at the T20 World Cup, but it remains to be seen how their government's decision to participate affects the team's preparations.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan's plans for the World Cup, the team has been named as part of the tournament, with selectors opting to stick with several key players who were thought to be at risk. However, fast bowler Haris Rauf has been left out of the squad, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has also been excluded.
Babar's return was a major boost for Pakistan, who are scheduled to play all their games in Sri Lanka due to strained relations with India. The former captain, known for his exceptional batting skills, is expected to come in handy on the slow pitches that will dominate the Sri Lankan tournament.
Head coach Mike Hesson acknowledged that Babar's ability to control the middle overs and feed strikes to other players would be invaluable to Pakistan's chances. However, he also noted that the team's selection was influenced by their performances in different conditions - including Australia, where they face a very different challenge compared to the Sri Lankan tournament.
Pakistan's selectors have opted for a strong spin bowling lineup, with four spinners named in the squad, alongside several other key players. The team will begin their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 and will also play matches against the US, India, Namibia, and Scotland before moving on to the playoffs if they progress.
With Babar Azam back in the fold, Pakistan now look like a more formidable force at the T20 World Cup, but it remains to be seen how their government's decision to participate affects the team's preparations.
pakistan's squad for the t20 world cup just came out and its like they're relying on babar azam alone lol he's not even playing every game 
anyway did u hear that haris rauf got left out of the team? that fast bowler from australia has been injured 3 times already this year 
meanwhile rizwan is also not in the squad now what's going on with pakistan cricket 
]
]
]
]
]
The inclusion of Babar Azam is a huge boost for the team, and I'm glad he's back in the mix. It's not surprising that they've stuck with key players who were thought to be at risk - stability is key when you're competing against top-notch teams.
Also, it's going to be awesome to watch Pakistan take on some new opponents like the Netherlands and Namibia. Bring on the T20 World Cup! 
! his batting skills are insane and i'm sure he'll come in handy on those slow pitches in sri lanka 
. but seriously, the selection process was pretty intriguing - i love how they went with a strong spin bowling lineup, it's gonna be interesting to see them take on different conditions 
. overall, i think pakistan looks like a solid contender for the t20 world cup - fingers crossed they'll make it all the way to the playoffs 
!
which is kinda surprising considering their form last yr. but pakistan's selectors seem to be goin 4 a strong spin bowling lineup, whch cud b key 2 ther success 
he was such a huge doubt for the team and now he's back in the squad its like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders 
i'm hyped for pak to play all their matches in sri lanka btw 
. and what's up with the fast bowlers? leave haris rauf out of the squad?! 
that guy's been in good form lately... but hey at least babar's back, so fingers crossed for them 
. they need to think about what's gonna happen when they play india, that's a whole different ball game 
. anyway, can't wait to see how they do 
]
]
]
]
. Anyway, Babar's back and that's gotta be good for Pakistan - we'll see how they go in the tournament! 
. Plus, have you seen their batting lineup? They're still pretty leaky 
...I'm not sure even Babar Azam can save them from an embarrassing loss. Still, I guess it's a good start 
...now they just need to get their act together and not implode in the tournament 
... anyway, sri lanka's pitches are gonna be a challenge for them, lets see how they do 
anyway, i think the selection of haris rauf out of the squad was a bit weird, especially with mohammad rizwan on the bench... and now that babar's back, maybe they can finally get some consistency in their batting lineup 
️!
. Pakistan's squad for the T20 World Cup is all over the place... what was with leaving out Haris Rauf, btw? 
. The US, India, Namibia, Scotland... it's like they're gonna be running around for days, barely having time to train or recover 
. Not exactly what I'd call a strong squad 
.