Huraira to lead Shaheens against Lanka A

LAHORE  -  Mohammad Huraira has been appointed as captain of Pakistan Shaheens for their upcoming series against Sri Lanka ‘A’. The series, which includes two four-day and three 50-over matches, will be held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from November 11 to November 29. At just 22 years old, Huraira has already made his mark in first-class cricket, amassing 3,310 runs in 40 matches, with eight centuries and 14 half-centuries. In List-A matches, the right-handed batter has added 632 runs, including a century and a half-century. The men’s national selection committee has unveiled the squads for both red and white-ball formats, featuring Test pacers Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Khurram Shahzad, who will join the red-ball squad following successful rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy and recent appearances in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Another international player, Hussain Talat, joins the red-ball squad, while Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Ahmed Safi Abdullah have received their first call-ups to the Shaheens. The white-ball squad includes players who competed in the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup last month, such as Abdul Samad, Haider Ali, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Imran Jnr, and Rohail Nazir. Newcomers Muhammad Imran, Sirajuddin, and Ubaid Shah have also earned spots on the Shaheens for the first time. The red-ball squad will begin training on November 6, with Sri Lanka ‘A’ expected to arrive on November 8 and commence their preparations on November 9. White-ball squad members are scheduled to assemble in Islamabad on November 22. The PCB has also confirmed the match officials for the series. Iqbal Sheikh and Bilal Khilji will head the Playing Control Team (PCT) for the red and white-ball matches, respectively, with umpiring duties shared among Asif Yaqoob, Imran Jawed, Rashid Riaz, and Zulfiqar Jan.

Kh Nadeem congratulates four Lahore players on selection

President of Lahore Region Cricket Association (LRCA) Khawaja Nadeem has congratulated four players from the Lahore region on their selection for the Pakistan Shaheens squad. He extended his congratulations to the players and all club organizers in Lahore, expressing hope that these selected players will prove their selection right by delivering top-notch performances. Among the selected players, Ali Zaryab Asif from Abid Hussain-owned Khizra Club and Muhammad Rameez Junior from Apollo Club have been chosen for the four-day matches. Hussain Talat from Stag Club has been selected for both the four-day and one-day formats, while Ubaid Shah from Abdul Qadir Club has secured his spot in the one-day format. LRCA Preisdent Khawaja Nadeem highlighted Ali Zaryab’s recent accomplishments, mentioning his century on debut in the previous A-series against Bangladesh A, which caught the selectors’ attention. Ali has also represented Pakistan in the U-19 World Cup. Commenting on Muhammad Rameez, he noted that Rameez was last year’s top domestic leg-spinner and has previously represented Pak Shaheens against Bangladesh A. Hussain Talat, who has already represented Pakistan’s national team, is expected to perform well and potentially earn his way back to the main squad.

 The fourth player, Ubaid Shah, has joined Pakistan Shaheens for the first time, but he previously showcased his skills representing Pakistan in the ICC U-19 World Cup.

Azhar Khan is an accomplished senior sports journalist with extensive experience in the field. He can be reached at azharmasood786@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @azharmasood786

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