As Pakistan prepares for its upcoming white-ball tour of New Zealand, former captain Rashid Latif has put forward a list of young players he believes should be considered for selection as the Pakistan Cricket Board looks to inject some new blood into the team. With senior players likely to be overlooked following a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign, Latif took to social media to advocate for fresh faces in the squad.
Rashid Latif has advocated for new talent to help the team adapt to the demands of modern cricket. Among the names he suggested were Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, and Muhammad Khawaja Nafay. He also hinted that Shadab Khan could be the ideal choice to lead the T20I side in the absence of other senior figures.
Additionally, Latif proposed a wider pool of probable players, including Muhammad Haris, Sufyan Muqeem, Arafat Minhas, Irfan Khan Niazi, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Umair Bin Yousuf, and Khushdil Shah, who he believes deserve a shot at making a name for themselves.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| New Players | Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, Muhammad Khawaja Nafay |
| Probables | Muhammad Haris, Sufyan Muqeem, Arafat Minhas, Irfan Khan Niazi, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Umair Bin Yousuf, Khushdil Shah |
| Captain | Shadab Khan |
The New Zealand series will be Pakistan’s first outing on a cricket ground since their disappointing Champions Trophy campaign, which ended without a win. With questions surrounding the team’s ability to meet the demands of modern cricket, the upcoming tour of New Zealand gives PCB a perfect chance to test the country’s player pool against the international barometer that Rashid Latif is advocating. With the squad announcement expected soon, it remains to be seen whether PCB will heed Latif’s suggestions.