Pakistan Announces T20 World Cup Squad with Surprises

Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad for 2024 has been announced, with Babar Azam once again leading the charge. The 15-member squad features a few surprises, including the omission of Hasan Ali, Irfan Khan, and Agha Salman.

Abbas Afridi has made the final cut, giving Pakistan five specialist fast bowlers. Imad Wasim, who recently came out of retirement, will provide the left-arm spin option, while Abrar Ahmed is the lone specialist legspinner.

The squad is as follows:

* Babar Azam (captain)

* Saim Ayub

* Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper)

* Fakhar Zaman

* Azam Khan (wicket-keeper)

* Usman Khan

* Iftikhar Ahmed

* Imad Wasim

* Shaheen Shah Afridi

* Shadab Khan

* Mohammad Amir

* Abbas Afridi

* Naseem Shah

* Haris Rauf

* Abrar Ahmed

The absence of Hasan Ali is a notable omission, as he has been a key member of Pakistan's bowling attack in recent years. However, his recent form has been poor, and he was released back to Warwickshire earlier this week.

Irfan Khan and Agha Salman have also been left out, despite being part of the squad for the recent Asia Cup. Afridi's inclusion is a surprise, as he has not played for Pakistan since 2021.

Pakistan will be hoping to improve on their performance at the 2022 T20 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the semi-finals by England. They will face a tough challenge in the 2024 tournament, which will be played in the USA and the Caribbean.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #PakistanCricket, #BabarAzam, #HasanAli, #IrfanKhan