Webdesk: A “full strength” Pakistani team will play the first ODI against Afghanistan at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota today.
The club management has opted to rotate players in the three-match series to give them chances, sources say.
Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Aga, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usama Mir, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf would play.
The selection panel can choose Mohammad Nawaz.
The inaugural bilateral ODI series will be followed by the six-nation Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and Pakistan on August 30 and the World Cup in India on October 5.
Afghanistan cannot host international cricket due to security concerns, hence this is a home series.
Babar Azam remarked, “These three matches are a good opportunity for us to test our players in match situations.”
The captain thinks the series will prepare him for Asia Cup and World Cup.
Top-ranked ODI hitter Azam leads a powerful team that includes three- and four-ranked openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq.
They have a strong pace attack from Afridi, Shah, and Rauf.
Afghanistan’s world-class spinner Rashid Khan is back after withdrawing from The Hundred in England.
“Afghanistan have developed into a good side,” said Azam of a team that defeated Bangladesh 2-1 in ODIs last month.
“We are not going to take these matches lightly,” stated Azam, despite Pakistan winning all four ODIs against Afghanistan since 2012.
“We have good spin bowlers, so it will be an exciting series.”
Hashmatullah Shahidi leads Afghanistan, which added fast bowlers Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Saleem Safi, and Wafadar Momand.
The first match is on Tuesday in Hambantota, while the other two are in Colombo on Thursday and Saturday.
