Pakistan Shaheens, led by the talented 21-year-old Rohail Nazir, have embarked on their journey to Australia for the highly anticipated Top End T20 Series, as well as two exciting 50-over matches in Darwin.
The action-packed tournament, organized by Northern Territory Cricket (NTC), will take place from 30th July to 9th August.
Joining the Shaheens in the six-team T20 format will be Australian Capital Territory’s ACT Comets, Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and NT Strike. The top two teams will advance to the final, promising fierce competition.
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Following the thrilling T20 matches, the Shaheens will engage in two 50-over clashes against PNG and NT Strike on 8th and 9th August, respectively.
Rohail Nazir, who has previous experience captaining Pakistan Shaheens during their tour to New Zealand in December 2020 and was also part of the recent Zimbabwe tour, will lead the talented squad.
Notably, he will be joined by four players – Ahmed Khan, Ali Asfand, Mohammad Irfan Khan, and Syed Zeeshan Zameer – who had represented Pakistan U19 in the ICC U19 World Cup.
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Other players from the Pakistan U19 team, including Amir Hassan, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Sajjad Ali, Shamyl Hussain, and Wahaj Riaz, will also be eager to showcase their skills in this prestigious tournament, having recently played in the tour to Bangladesh.
Rohail expressed his excitement about leading the side and playing in Australia, a place where he had competed before. He emphasized the importance of such tournaments for players to learn and improve their skills, viewing this opportunity as a potential stepping stone for selection in the upcoming Test series in Australia.
The Pakistan Shaheens squad comprises a talented lineup, with Rohail Nazir as captain, accompanied by Aaliyan Mahmood, Ahmed 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.
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The team will be supported by a skilled coaching and support staff, including Muhammad Masroor (head coach-cum-manager), Hanif Malik (batting and fielding coach), Umar Rashid (bowling coach), and Imtiaz Khan (physiotherapist).
Here is the schedule of Pakistan Shaheens’ matches:
30th Jul – vs NT Strike (T20)
31st Jul – vs ACT Comets (T20)
1st Aug – vs Melbourne Renegades (T20)
2nd Aug – vs Melbourne Stars (T20)
4th Aug – vs PNG (T20)
6th Aug – Final
8th Aug – vs PNG (50-over)
9th Aug – vs NT Strike (50-over)
The cricket enthusiasts and fans worldwide are eagerly looking forward to witnessing the outstanding performances of these promising players as they compete in the beautiful land of Australia.
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