The Pakistan Shaheens cricket team is set to kick off its campaign in the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams T20 Asia Cup 2024. They will face India ‘A’ on Saturday at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground in Muscat, Oman. This tournament features eight teams and aims to showcase emerging cricket talent across Asia.
The tournament will officially begin today, featuring two Group A matches. Bangladesh ‘A’ will play against Hong Kong, while Afghanistan ‘A’ will compete against Sri Lanka ‘A’. Pakistan’s team is placed in Group B and will play its next match against Oman on October 21. They will also take on the United Arab Emirates on October 23. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals scheduled for October 25. The final match will take place on October 26.
Before departing for Oman, the Pakistan Shaheens participated in a five-day training camp at the Hanif Mohammad National High-Performance Centre in Karachi. The team aims to prepare thoroughly for this tournament, which is the first edition of the ACC Emerging Teams tournament in a T20 format. The previous five editions were played in the List-A format from 2013 to 2023. Pakistan emerged victorious in 2019 and 2023 under the leadership of Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Haris, respectively.
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The Team Includes
The Shaheens team, led by Mohammad Haris, consists of 15 players. Besides Haris, the squad includes Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Rohail Nazir, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Sufiyan Moqim, all of whom have previous international experience. Newcomers Abdul Samad, Ahmed Daniyal, Yasir Khan, and Zaman Khan will make their debut in this tournament.
Mohammad Haris expressed excitement about the upcoming matches. He stated, “The Emerging Teams T20 Asia Cup is a great opportunity for all the players in the Shaheens squad to showcase their abilities and thrive under high pressure.” He acknowledged that the matches will test their potential, given the competitive nature of the teams they will face.
Haris added, “The players in our squad are coming into this tournament after having featured in two white-ball domestic tournaments. I expect them to hit the ground running when we take the field for our first game of the tournament on Saturday.”
The squad includes support personnel to ensure optimal performance. Umar Rasheed serves as the head coach and manager, while Imran Farhat is the batting coach. Riffatullah Mohmand is the fielding coach, Usman Hashmi acts as the analyst, and Syed Mohammad Asad is the physiotherapist.
Shaheens Fixtures in ACC Men’s Emerging Teams T20 Asia Cup:
Group B Matches:
- vs. India ‘A’ – October 19, Oman Cricket Academy Ground (6:30 PM PKT)
- vs. Oman – October 21, Oman Cricket Academy Ground (2:00 PM PKT)
- vs. UAE – October 23, Oman Cricket Academy Ground (2:00 PM PKT)
As the Pakistan Shaheens embark on this tournament, fans eagerly await their performance and hope for a strong showing in the competition. The players are ready to prove their skills and make a mark in this prestigious tournament.
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