For the upcoming ICC World Cup in India, the men’s squad was released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). At Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, top selector Inzamam-ul-Haq introduced the team, which is captained by star batsman Babar Azam.
One notable change in the 15-member World Cup squad is the inclusion of Hasan Ali, who replaced Naseem Shah. Naseem sustained a shoulder injury during the Asia Cup 2023 and is expected to have an extended period of recovery. The chance has been handed to Hasan Ali, who last appeared in an ODI for Pakistan in 2022 against the West Indies in Multan.
Here’s Pakistan’s ICC World Cup 2023 squad:
- Babar Azam (c)
- Abdullah Shafique
- Fakhar Zaman
- Imam-ul-Haq
- Iftikhar Ahmed
- Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
- Shadab Khan
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Usama Mir
- Haris Rauf
- M Wasim Jnr
- Hasan Ali
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Saud Shakeel
- Salman Ali Agha
Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Zaman Khan
Pakistan made two changes from the squad that participated in the Asia Cup 2023. All-rounder Faheem Ashraf was omitted, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris was relegated to the reserve list.
The ICC World Cup 2023 is set to take place in India, featuring 10 teams vying for the prestigious title across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host both the tournament’s opening and closing ceremonies.
A round-robin structure will be used for the 45 league matches that make up the Cricket World Cup, with each side competing against every other team. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals, which are set for November 15 in Mumbai and November 16 in Kolkata. The semifinals and final will be played on reserve days.
Prior to their tournament debut against the Netherlands on October 6, Pakistan will play two warm-up matches against New Zealand on September 29 and Australia on October 3.
Entering the tournament as the number one ranked side, Babar Azam’s team boasts the best win/loss ratio of 2.400 in this World Cup cycle among all ODI teams.
In the history of the World Cup, Pakistan’s victory in 1992 was their finest performance. They reached the final in 1999 and the semi-finals in 1979, 1983, 1987, and 2011.
Here is Pakistan’s schedule for the ICC World Cup 2023:
- October 6: vs Netherlands in Hyderabad
- October 10: vs Sri Lanka in Hyderabad
- October 14: vs India in Ahmedabad
- October 20: vs Australia in Bengaluru
- October 23: vs Afghanistan in Chennai
- October 27: vs South Africa in Chennai
- October 31: vs Bangladesh in Kolkata
- November 4: vs New Zealand Bengaluru (Day match)
- November 11: vs England in Kolkata
All other matches will be day-night affairs commencing at 1:30 pm (PST), with day matches beginning at 10:00 am Pakistan Standard Time (PST).
If Pakistan advances to the semifinals, Kolkata will host their encounter. Except when playing Pakistan, in which case the match would be played in Kolkata, India will play in Mumbai if they advance to the semi-finals.
