Saud Shakeel Joins Pakistan’s Squad for 2023 Asia Cup; Tayyab Tahir Named Traveling Reserve

Saud Shakeel’s inclusion elevates Pakistan’s 2023 Asia Cup squad, his Test brilliance and List A prowess boosting the batting. Shakeel replaces Tayyab Tahir, who’s a traveling reserve. Excitement builds.

In a surprising turn of events, Saud Shakeel has been included in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming 2023 Asia Cup, while Tayyab Tahir has been named as a traveling reserve. Initially, Tayyab Tahir was part of the 17-member squad, but the selectors opted for Shakeel’s inclusion, citing his remarkable Test performances and solid List A record. Shakeel’s addition brings a fresh dynamic to the squad, enhancing its batting prowess.

Saud Shakeel, though relatively new to international cricket, has showcased tremendous promise with his impressive performances. While he has only played five ODIs, his Test career has been remarkable. With six fifties and two hundreds in just seven Tests, Shakeel has proven his mettle in the longer format. Notably, his match-winning knock of 208* against Sri Lanka in Galle turned the tide in Pakistan’s favor after the top order struggled against the home spinners. Shakeel boasts an impressive record of 2489 runs in List A matches at an average of 44.44.

The selection decision between Shakeel and Faheem Ashraf, who was initially picked for the tournament, had caused speculation. Inzamam-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s new chief selector, had highlighted Faheem’s all-round abilities as the reason for his inclusion over Shakeel’s specialist batting skills. However, Shakeel’s recent inclusion in the ODI against Afghanistan showcased his potential even in limited-overs cricket.

Saud Shakeel will join the squad as they travel to Multan on Sunday. The Asia Cup-bound players who recently played against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka are also set to arrive in Multan on the same day. A statement from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) mentioned that Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, and Naseem Shah will travel to Lahore on Sunday and join the team on Monday evening.

Pakistan’s campaign in the 2023 Asia Cup will kick off with the opener against Nepal in Multan on August 30th. With a revamped squad and new talents like Saud Shakeel, Pakistan aims to make a strong statement in the tournament under the leadership of Babar Azam.

Pakistan’s Asia Cup Squad:

• Babar Azam (capt)
• Shadab Khan
• Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
• Saud Shakeel
• Fakhar Zaman
• Abdullah Shafique
• Imam-ul-Haq
• Salman Ali Agha
• Iftikhar Ahmed
• Mohammad Nawaz
• Usama Mir
• Haris Rauf
• Naseem Shah
• Shaheen Afridi
• Mohammad Haris (wk)
• Faheem Ashraf
• Mohammad Wasim

Travelling Reserve: Tayyab Tahir

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