The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced the much-awaited 17-member national squad for the upcoming T20I home series against New Zealand.

Pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim, who recently reversed their retirement, have made a comeback in the squad for the series.

Meanwhile, Usman Khan and Muhammad Irfan Khan will debut for the national side. The two highly-talented players earned the selectors’ nod following impressive performances in the Pakistan Super League.

Babar Azam will lead the team in the five-match series after he was recently reinstated as the Green Shirt’s skipper for white-ball matches.

The five-match T20I series is scheduled to take place on April 18 and the visiting team will reach Pakistan on April 14.

Speaking during the press conference, Wahab Riaz said that the PCB has announced a squad of 17 players and five have been kept as reserves, which means that they will be relied upon to perform well ahead of finalising the World Cup squad before April 25.

“We will finalise which boys will be part of the World Cup squad from Pakistan before April 25.”

Commenting on the return of Babar as captain as well as the lack of a vice captain in the team, Wahab said: “Babar Azam is the white ball captain. As far as the vice-captain is concerned, discussions are still continuing. We want somebody to stand by Babar. We will look into everything that is beneficial for the betterment of the team and make announcements later.”

In a press release issued by the PCB, Wahab said that the “decision to include Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir was a straightforward one, given their availability for selection and considering Haris Rauf’s injury and Mohammad Nawaz’s current form.”

“Both Amir and Imad possess undeniable match-winning capabilities, and we trust they will consistently deliver strong performances to bolster the team’s objectives,” he added.

“We have communicated our overarching selection policy and strategy to all elite players, and there is complete alignment within the group. To ensure the policy’s implementation in letter and spirit, I will closely collaborate with the team management during the series.

“As we prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies, this series holds significant importance for Pakistan. Rather than solely focusing on the formidable New Zealand side, we aim to introspect and identify areas for improvement. I anticipate that players will seize the opportunities presented to strengthen their claims for the World Cup.”

Squad

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan, Usama Mir

Non-travelling reserves
Haseebullah, Muhammad Ali, Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha