||Desk Report||

Pakistan and Australia named their ODI-squads for the upcoming 5-match series ‘Qantas ODI’ in UAE scheduled to be held on March 22-31.

The Pakistan cricket board, PCB announced a 16-member squad today appointing Shoaib Malik as captain. The board rested six players including Sarfaraz Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Mohammad Hafeez has been ruled out due to thumb surgery while Hussain Talat has been dropped.

Pakistan chairman of selectors Inzamam-ul-Haq said that the changes have been made taking into consideration the player workload in the build-up to the World Cup.

“I am pleased that we have been able to develop a strong bench-strength that has helped us to make eight changes from the previous series. The changes have been made taking into consideration the player workload in the build-up to the World Cup, which starts 30 May. Apart from five ODIs against Australia, we have three warm-up games followed by five ODIs against England, and then two World Cup warm-up matches followed by, at least, nine games, which Inshallah will become 11 matches. This is too much cricket in a short period of time. Had there been no pre-World Cup matches in England, then we would not have made these many changes,” he said.

PCB included four uncapped players Abid Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain and Saad Ali for the series. “While Haris Sohail, Junaid Khan, Umar Akmal and Yasir Shah are returning to ODI cricket, Abid Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain and Saad Ali have been rewarded for stellar performances in domestic cricket. This will provide these players with a great opportunity to display their skills and temperament, strengthening their claims for a World Cup call-up as there are a few places up for grabs,” added the chief of the PCB selectors.

Earlier morning, Cricket Australia (CA) also announced the unchanged 15-member squad for this series including fast bowler Kane Richardson. Aaron Finch to captain the team.  

Mitchell Starc has been ruled out due to injury while Steve Smith and David Warner have also been dropped for their elbow injuries. The duo are eligible to play in the final two matches of the series, but the board believes that ‘best pathway for them to return to play is in the Indian Premier League (IPL)’. However, Meanwhile, David Warner will play with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Steve with Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming IPL 2019.

Australia’s National Selection Panel chairman Trevor Hohns said, “The National Selection Panel has named an unchanged squad for the upcoming tour against Pakistan in the UAE. The squad has started this tour well against a very good Indian side, they won the T20I Series and have pushed the hosts in the opening two matches of the ODI series in challenging sub-continent conditions. Despite returning to Australia last week, Kane Richardson has been included in the squad as we monitor his recovery from the left side strain injury. We are hopeful he will recover in time for the Pakistan series.”

Hohns later clarified the rationale behind Steve Smith and David Warner’s dropping out from the squad.  “Unfortunately, Mitchell Starc’s recovery from his left pectoral muscle strain has been set back by a slight recurrence as he commenced bowling. This has ruled him out of the Pakistan Series.  After consultation with members of the National Selection Panel, Greg Chappell and Head Coach Justin Langer, Interim EGM Team Performance Belinda Clark, CA Medical Team and both players, it has been agreed Steve Smith and David Warner will not be available for selection for the final two matches of the series against Pakistan. While their bans will be finished on March 28, Steve and David have been working through rehabilitation from elbow surgery and it has been agreed the best pathway for them to return to play is in the Indian Premier League, a strong competition which features some of the world’s best players,” the selection Panel chief added.

The squads of the two team:

Pakistan	Australia
Shoaib Malik (C), Abid Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Sohail, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (Wk), Saad Ali, Shan Masood, Umar Akmal, Usman Shinwari, Yasir Shah	Aaron Finch (C), Alex Carey (VC), Pat Cummins (VC), Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa

Qantas Tour of the UAE Schedule: