Fawad returns as Pakistan announce squad for England Tests
89
After playing his last Test six years ago, middle-order batsman Fawad Alam has been called back to the Pakistan's ranks for their upcoming series against England in October.
A prolific performer in all formats, the Karachi-born cricketer averages a staggering 56.76 after 117 first-class appearances with an undefeated 296 being his highest score among 23 centuries. Alam is also rated among the country’s top fielders.
Pakistan's Test squad for England series:
- Misbah-ul-Haq (captain)
- Ahmed Shehzad
- Shan Masood
- Azhar Ali
- Mohammad Hafeez
- Fawad Alam
- Asad Shafiq
- Younis Khan
- Sarfraz Ahmed
- Yasir Shah
- Zulfiqar Babar
- Wahab Riaz
- Imran Khan
- Rahat Ali
- Junaid Khan
But before taking on Ashes-winning England side, Pakistan will be travelling to Zimbabwe for two Twenty20 Internationals and three ODIs starting September 27.
Middle-order batsman Sohaib Maqsood has made a comeback to that side and will be making the Zimbabwe trip after last playing for Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup.
Rookie paceman Imran Khan junior was rewarded for his excellent bowling in domestic cricket.
The 27-year-old took 16 wickets to help Peshawar defend the National T20 title in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, claiming his second successive best bowler award after also winning it in 2014.
“We have rewarded some outstanding performers in the recently concluded tournament and Imran was one of them,” chief selector Haroon Rasheed said in a press statement.
Wicketkeeper batsman Sarfraz Ahmed will miss the T20Is as he would be performing Haj and Anwar Ali, the star performer of the second T20 against Sri Lanka, will be rested due to groin strain.
The 25-year-old uncapped pace bowling all-rounder Amir Yamin was also included for the two T20 matches in Harare on September 27 and 29.
Pakistan arrive on September 24. The teams play three ODI games between October 1-5, with all fixtures on the tour to be staged at the Harare Sports Club.
Pakistan's T20 and ODI squad for Zimbabwe tour:
T20Is:
- Shahid Afridi (captain)
- Mohammad Hafeez
- Ahmed Shehzad
- Mukhtar Ahmed
- Umar Akmal
- Sohaib Maqsood
- Shoaib Malik
- Amir Yamin
- Mohammad Irfan
- Bilal Asif
- Wahab Riaz
- Imad Wasim
- Sohail Tanvir
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Imran Khan junior
ODIs:
- Azhar Ali (captain)
- Mohammad Hafeez
- Ahmed Shehzad
- Sohaib Maqsood
- Shoaib Malik
- Babar Azam
- Sarfraz Ahmed
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Immad Wasim
- Anwar Ali
- Wahab Riaz
- Yasir Shah
- Rahat Ali
- Mohammad Irfan
- Asad Shafiq
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (89) Closed
Sep 16, 2015 01:16pm
Good news. The selections seems to be fair and on merit this time. Hope they also play in the playing 11. I am a big Imran Khan and Fawad Alam fan.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:19pm
FAWAD ALAM should be in ONE DAY TEAM..he is MAN who can handle pressure easily and he proved many times in past....... Selectors please review your decision.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:25pm
iftikhar Ahmad was neglected despite of his brilliant performance at least he should have been selected for Zimbabwe t20s.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:25pm
The kind if line-up we have for tests, it is unlikely he would get a chance to play but yet, his record is immaculate and he deserved to be given a chance
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:29pm
Why isn't Riffatullah Mohmand in the team. He has been the most consistent performer in the domestic tournament. Certainly deserved a call. All the stats point that he is in much better form than both Ahmed Shahzad and Umar Akmal. Mukhtar and him can provide Pakistan a deadly opening duo. And it is a T20 match against a lower ranked team, insert as many youngsters/debutants as you can. These selectors never seize to amaze me. Poor
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:32pm
He cant timed the ball correctly.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:32pm
Sarfraz Ahmed and Anwar Ali are missing out in the T20 list presented above. it is a big shock because both have been doing well consistently. Anwar should have been in T20's instead of Tanvir and Sarfraz should have been in place of Akmal.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:35pm
wetron player team but for which tournament ???
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:48pm
Good - and richly deserved.
In the current Pakistani team batting is extremely fragile at the best of times. Fawad's experience at recent form in Domestic cricket and for Pakistan A will be handed.
If you are averaging 40+ in Tests, ODI's and 50+ in First Class cricket - you need to be given a chance, as on merit you deserve one.
Hopefully, he can take this opportunity with both hands and nail down a permanent place for the foreseeable future.
Good Luck Fawad.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:49pm
Fawad Alam in team??? are you serious??? on what basis he is in the team??? and why Ahmed Shahzad is still in test team???
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:50pm
Why Sarfaraz not in T20 this is very unfair. Afridi is insecure.
Anwe Ali is hero of T20 how can he be dropped!!
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:53pm
1. Why sohail tanvir in the team? what is his performance in T20 domestic cup?
2. Why Sarfraz has been dropped from T20?
3. Why Umar Akmal again? what was his performance in previous ODIs
4. What Mohammad Hafeez is doing in all three formats; till the time he was bowling, it was ok but isn't it too much to include him in all 3 formats without bowling
5. Haris sohail should be in ODI I/o asad shafiq
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:59pm
Mukhtar ahmed to be included into ODI I think so, as it is home series few young bowler were suppose to be tested, unfortunately no new young boy has been chosen to be tested to strength our weak bowling attack, which is big flaw I can see in our selector efforts.
Anwar ali exclusion from ODI is big question mark on selector job. Inclusion of Fawad Alam again is slot wastage, instead of having him on board it was better to test some youngster to help him to replace younis and Misbah in 6 months time.
Pakistan bowling is shallow, except two bowler wahab and yasir shah, three slots are filled by old dodgy players, why not test youngster to see if they can replace the old lot
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 01:59pm
It is time to see ahead of Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad. For me they are still rookie and there are at least 3 replacements available in the country. Rifatullah, Iftikhar and Mukhtar.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:00pm
Why should any team be punished with having Umar Akmal in it?
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:00pm
@Kabir He averages a staggering 56.76 after 117 first-class appearances with an undefeated 296 being his highest score among 23 centuries.
Yeh record iss ney dhoop mein kharey kharey nahi banaya.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:01pm
Asad Shafiq is not a ODI player - never will be - Umar Akmal should be in his place and Sarfaraz inplace of Ahmed Shahzad in T 20
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:01pm
The selectors proved again that they are no more than bunch of buffoons.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:04pm
Anwarli should have picked in T20, if his fitness is okay.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:10pm
@Sayed and drop catches on crucial times, like yesterday :)
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:16pm
So Hafeez is selected as Specialist(!!!!!!??????)batsman.next time he will play as specialist Fielder
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:18pm
Selectors are requested to have some mercy on cricket.
Why are keep selecting Sohail Tanveer
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:24pm
it will be a tough contest..... england are on a high after winning ashes!
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:24pm
This is the mindset of a timid selection committee who instead of grooming young players are stuck with, from their angle, reliable players who can't field. Fawad's dropped catch cost Karachi the championship on 15 Sep 2015.There was a time when Pakistan was well known for introducing young blood. Wasim,Waqar,Mushtaq are few that come to mind.Saeed Anwar, Saleem Malik and Akmal trio all were young when inducted.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:26pm
Thanks God Fawad Alam is not in odi team. He can NEVER be a limited overs cricketer
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:27pm
it's sad to see Sarfraz Ahmed's name missing from T20 side.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:28pm
Dropping Sarfraz from T20s is totally unfair, especially in view of the just concluded T20 tournament where he captained the runner-ups team.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:32pm
Whats the point of playing Muhammad Hafeez in Zimbabwe?
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:35pm
Why Rafatullah and Iftikhar from Peshawar not given chance? I am fed of watching 15 and 20 of HAfeez and Ahmed Shahzad, enough with Umar Akmal, give chance to people who have played out of their skin to get a chance to play for Pakistan. Selectors i dont agree with your selection and being a cricket fan i have every right to do so...
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:36pm
@Muslim Fawad's drop catch had cost Karachi the game but Akmal Bros have cost us 3 Test series (to my count) and countless ODIs.
You have no idea what you are talking about.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:36pm
@Mudassar _His record proves otherwise. go and check the stats. he is much better than Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:37pm
Riffatullah and iftikhar Ahmad should be selected.
in fact Riffat should be compensated for being neglected after his performance.
It is foul that the winning team Peshawar has only two players in final lineup.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:38pm
@Karachi Wally , Sarfraz is performing Hajj during that period and Anwar will be resting due to an injury
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:41pm
Looks like a lot of people have commented without reading the whole article.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:43pm
Thank you PCB to include Fawad Alam that guy plays his heart out for Pakistan how could rhe PCB ignore this guy for such a long time
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:50pm
can anybody answer why sohail tanvir is selected?
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:53pm
@HT
He has not been dropped, he is going to Hajj. The t20 squad is for Zimbabwe only
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:58pm
What a Joke!! Fawad deserve place in test no doubt but he is much better player for ODI and deserve the place too....What the reasons behind that to keep him away from ODI????? I don't find a single specifically after his last few innings..
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 02:59pm
He is one of the most dependable and consistent batsmen in Pakistan's current domestic players. PCB should give him atleast 4 series or 6 months to see his performance. I really feel bad for him, when he gets dropped after failing in few matches. I also feel bad, when people expect him to score fast or hit sixes. We need to understand, he is a different kind of batsman.
Wish him good luck and a very good decision by PCB.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 03:07pm
@Mudassar R u MAD?? sorry to say but either you don't know cricket or you never see Fawad game but at least check his records before giving comments..
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave
ODIs 38 36 12 966 114* 40.25
Tests 3 6 0 250 168 41.66
T20Is 24 17 6 194 28 17.63
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 03:12pm
How can you have Nauman Anwer in the team and then drop him without playing a match? And then at last you should have given a chance to Rafatullah in the series against Zimbabwe. No one else has deserved and waited so long as Rafatullah did. Mohammad Hafeez' selection in Zimbabwe bound team is not understandable at all.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 03:20pm
Finally in the test team.. .. You will become the backbone of team just like misbah and younis ...... Good luck fawad..
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 03:26pm
Its a shame watching him drop a catch in a final domestic T20 and now being rewarded a contract.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 03:33pm
Fairly balanced selection, job well done by selectors in balancing merit and odd 'sifarish'. I would have made two changes as
1. In test swap Hafeez with Harris Sohail, unless Haris is unavailable due to injury. Much better bat and good all-rounder too.
2. In ODI swap Asad with Harris Sohail.
However a very commendable selection.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 03:46pm
Imran khan/Govt of NWFP should arrange some rewards/award for team Peshawar for winning national T20 tournament.
PCB should arrange T20 match between Peshawar and national team to see how these selected boys perform against no big names team of Peshawar.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 03:46pm
Why sohail tanvir in the team.this guy is a failure.maybe he has someone favoring him.there were so many times we depended on him and he has always let us down by playing rash shots
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 03:54pm
OMG Akmal is there
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:18pm
@Imran please read the article carefully, sarfaraz is performing haj and anwar ali has injury
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:24pm
@Talha Well if you had seen the match you would have noticed that it was raining at that time which makes it difficult to locate and grab the ball.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:28pm
@Shahid
Yes,in place of Misbah,Younis,Azhar,Sarfraz, or Ahmed Shahzad.Right!
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:29pm
@Talha Sarfraz Ahmed is going for Performing HAJJ so thats why he was not included in T20
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:30pm
@Imran sarfraz will be doing hajj during t20 series
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:31pm
No predict about unpredictable
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:31pm
@Bilal
The selectors are not their to seize you.
International cricket is diffetent and only 15 man squad can be selected and 11 play in a match.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:33pm
Sarfraz will be performing Hajj and Anwar Ali is injured.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:41pm
@Amer but his ability is limited so what should he if he can not perform?
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:41pm
The ignore haris sohail for all three formats rubbish selection haris and babar azam deseve a place at least in test and odi squads
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:54pm
I am not too surprised by the selection. I think the team is looking solid in all three formats. However, I would have preferred Umar Akmal over Asad Shafiq in the ODIs.
Ali Khan
Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 04:58pm
HARIS SOHAIL had been performing excelentally in all ODIs until he got injured but then after the recovery, you never know what reasons these selectors use to just wash you off the team list. One of the reasons, our younger players don't dive in the field, is that they want to avoid injury to because they know if they get injured they will have to struggle for a long time to come again in the team. Pathetic selection policy really. And then Hard luck to a RAFATULLAH who has been knocking at selectors doors for such a long time now. His age should not have been a problem for T20 selection. Nauman Anwer must now be played in the A-team.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 05:20pm
Hafeez is NOT a test player at all. Get him out for the love of God.
Rafatullah Mohmand from Peshawar has broken so many records and performed brilliant in the Haier T20 - Why cant he be selected instead ?
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 05:26pm
Asad Shafiq is never a ODI player and Akmal should have been selected ahead of him. Finally Fawad is selected in a format he is good at. He should become mainstay of middle order once Misbah hangs his boots next year and i wish they had selected that Peshwar opener ahead of Mukhtar who is very limited in his technique.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 05:30pm
@Talha Sarfraz will be performing Hajj thats why he will miss the tour. Anwar Ali will be rested due to groin injury.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 05:41pm
This is very unfortunate that Sarfraz Ahmed name is not in T20 squad, how could you ignore him, he is giving 100% in all format of cricket. This is some thing wrong, somebody don't want to lose their spot. This is unacceptable and who ever dropped him, please stop discrimination against Karachi's players.
Ali (New Jersery)
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 05:47pm
Asad Shafiq back in ODIs. What a shame PCB. Haris Sohail who is unbeaten in his last three international matches hasn`t been included. Hats Off!!!
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 06:01pm
Fawad had been given many opportunities but he hasnt be able to completely avail these so far and be a standout. It is high time he proves himself or otherwise just let go and end this favoritism debate
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 06:55pm
Haris Sohail has been ignored?? A lefty who bats with stout defence and bowls cleverly is left out for what reason... terrible judgment call!
Sorry but Fawad and Sohaib do not have place in playing 11 unless you lead Ahmed Shehzad or Hafeez out. Imad Wasim should have been in the Test side to gain experience. English bowlers are fast and crafty and you need to come to front foot to play them to negate movement ... Fawad is too short for this technique and best suited for spinning attack.
Shan Masood should have been in the ODI squad. He is future captain. Hammad Azam should have been selected... please look at the 5-time WC champion Aussies, who know how to groom new players (by discarding the old horses once they are done...)
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:02pm
@Ali
Many opportunities????
He has only played three test matches - so not sure where you get the many opportunities bit from?
If you are talking about the opportunities he has had in ODIs - which by the way, he hasn't been selected for, then his average of 40.25 is very decent - and if it was on merit Fawad should have been taken to the World Cup instead of Younis Khan.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:10pm
Strengthening the 30-plus club. There is no dearth of young talent. Babar Azam is technically a much better batsman than Fawad Alam, especially for the test format. But we set him up to languish in ODIs (a clear attempt to kill the talent).
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:10pm
@Amer Well in Test team Misbah will not play him, because he is best after YK for test,
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:11pm
Afridi is another charitable selection.......a send off into retirement with the promise of T20 captaincy irrespective of his form - he will turn us into the 'Titantic' with his lack of form and insecurity....
Sarfraz should be skipper - PCB and Afridi know it!!
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:18pm
Khurrum Manzoor
Khalid Latif and Shaheb was a top performer of current T 20
Why not they selected?
Fawad alam must be in all formats
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:21pm
how could they miss out on great Imran Farhat, Hassan Raza,, Imran Nazir, Rana Naveed the great swing bowler ... and Javed Miandad. If Fawad can play then how about recalling Salim Malik, Ejaz, Ramiz etc...
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:24pm
Sir
Rafatullah Mohmand the swashbuckling opening batsman from Peshawar has again been ignored despite several important knocks as opening batsman.
Does Peshawar players not eligible to play or PCB has no mandate to select players on merit???
Thanks
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:31pm
Hope all of these players create a positive impact for Pakistan, and wish them best of luck. Go Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:48pm
Good selection overall .... only question mark is on Hafeez since he can't bowl and I don't want him to take a youngster spot.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:50pm
Good luck team Pakistan. Go get Zimbabwe and England.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 07:58pm
Same old traditional thinking ? Not sure why Mohammad Irfan is out of test squad ? And why Hafeez and Junaid are still in test team despite their poor performance. Should have given chance to youngsters
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 09:38pm
Many intellectuals are commenting here as if they have the highest authority and standard of cricketing brain present with in Pakistan. Its always better to read the complete article before commenting so as to know who is out from a specific format for what reasons. Fawad Alam richly deserves his chance. The guy averages 40 in both the formats after the limited opportunities he has had and a staggering average of around 57 in first class. One of the highest ever averages in Pakistan first class history..... People complaining about him go for style rather than commitment level... And yes, hafeez has done nothing to be in the test team. Babar Azam should be groomed in his place. Also, expecting haris sohail to be part of test team as well once he's fit enough...!!!
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 09:53pm
Fawad is very average player, although his fielding may be OK but his batting and balling are poor. He has already been given several chances but he is unable to deliver. Someone has to remember his performance during Bangladesh tour.
Recommend
0
Sep 16, 2015 10:35pm
@Kaka ..Did you ever check his records?????Compared with umer Akmal who scored just 313 runs in 17 matches up until world cup 2015. Do you call this a performance.
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 12:08am
I don't understand the dilemma behind Sohail Khan inclusion in WC. That guy seems to have some good connections just to appear and register his name in the WC.
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 12:14am
Why Fawwad Alam not in One day squad?
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 12:14am
I am very happy to see Haroon Rashid as a chief selector of Pakistan cricket team.
He is doing a great job and i am sure he can bring the world cup back to pakistan.
Mr. Rashid keep up the good work. Thanks!
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 12:50am
@HT He is going for Haj that's why......
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 02:38am
beel a long time coming, Fawad should be a regular in tests and one day.
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 03:31am
There is something seriously wrong with the Selection Committee and Cricket Board, why Fawad was ignored for so long and now when there is an immediate need to develop a strong team for next four five years they are continuing with players like Misbah. Due to negative policies Pakistan cricket team has lost its glamour and now it appears that in no time it will meet the same faith as Pakistan hockey team.
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 05:47am
Fawad should be in oneday team as well. So should Younis.
Fail to understand why Sohail Tanvir and Umer Akmal are still there despite so many others showing better performances. Just having talent is not enough. What is a talent if they don't perform. You can get very expensive gun but if it doesn fire when enemy attacks then what is the use. Sincere and logical people needed in selection committee just like any other dept in Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 07:03am
Fawad alam is a awful player
Recommend
0
Sep 17, 2015 09:29am
From your comments, looks like you guys didn't read the article at all and just jumped to the team selection part. Guys, Sarfaraz is away performing hajj (mashaAllah) and will join the team just in time for the ODIs... and Anwar Ali is mending his groin injury and will also be available for the ODIs..
Recommend
0
