Pakistan announce 16-man squad for Sri Lanka series

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced 16-man squad for a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.

The head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq said that they have put together the best possible squad.

"After thorough discussions with the members of the selection committee and meticulous planning, I feel we have put together the best possible squad," PCB's official website quoted Misbah-ul-Haq as saying.

"These are the only 50-over matches we have this season and we want to make their optimum use. Over the course of my cricketing career, I have realised there are no easy games and there are no easy opponents in cricket," he added.

Abid Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Shinwari and Mohammad Hasnain have been recalled for the Sri Lanka series.

"The five boys, who have been recalled, were straightforward selections. Iftikhar Ahmed is a batsman who can also bowl off-spin, providing the captain with necessary bowling depth as Sri Lanka boasts a few left-handers in their ranks. Mohammad Nawaz has been performing well in domestic matches," Misbah-ul-Haq said.

"Despite their strong performances, Moahmmad Rizwan, Usman Shinwari and Abid Ali were unlucky to miss out the World Cup squad. This is, however, a perfect opportunity for these players to prove their mettle in international cricket and cement their place in the one-day side," he added.

However, Hasan Ali failed to find a spot as he is recovering from a back spasm.

Pakistan's 16-man squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Babar Azam (vice-captain), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz.

The first ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played on September 27 in Karachi.