Cricketer Sarfraz Ahmed rejoins team after three years gap:
Cricketer Sarfraz Ahmed rejoins the team after three years gap
ISLAMABAD: Former skipper and famous cricketer Sarfaraz Ahmed has rejoined the national team on Monday after a gap of three years.
In Jan 2019, Sarfaraz Ahmed was excluded from the national cricket team.
However, recent top level changes in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Sarfaraz Ahmed rejoined the national squad from Monday (Dec 26).
Captain Babar Azam won the toss on Monday and opted to bat first against New Zealand in the first Test being played in Karachi.
Pakistani team made three changes from the last Test wherein the green shirts lost match to England in Karachi and suffered their maiden home 3-0 whitewash.
Sarfaraz Ahmed is playing his first Test since January 2019, while pacer Mir Hamza returns for the first time in four years.
Meanwhile, opener Imam-ul-Haq, son of former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq is also back in the team after recovering from injury.
New Zealand team started the Test with three spinners and some pace bowlers.
Pakistan Squad:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Wasim, Nauman Ali
New Zealand Team: Tim Southee (captain), Michael Bracewell, Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson
Umpires: Alex Wharf (England) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan) _ TV Umpire: Ahsan Raza (Pakistan)
Match referee: Mohammad Javed Malik (Pakistan)
