DURBAN: All-rounder Salman Ali Agha has been left out of Pakistan’s playing XI for the first T20I of the three-match series, scheduled to be played here at the Kingsmead Stadium on Tuesday.
Agha, who led Pakistan in the recently-concluded three-match away T20I series against Zimbabwe, managed to score just 45 runs in two innings, besides taking two wickets, and thus lost his spot in the team’s playing XI.
The recently-unveiled lineup also marks the return of Pakistan’s established opening pair of star batter Babar Azam and white-ball skipper Mohammad Rizwan, while Saim Ayub has been demoted to bat at number three, with wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan to follow.
Usman forms the green shirts’ middle-order for the series opener with Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Mohammad Abbas Afridi.
Meanwhile, left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who alongside Babar, returned to the squad after being rested for the Zimbabwe series, will spearhead the bowling attack, comprised of Abbas, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed.
Pakistan’s playing XI: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed.
- Salman Ali Agha
