Pakistan adds Sharjeel and Sami to T20 squad

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan included opening batsman Sharjeel Khan and fast bowler Mohammad Sami in its Asia Cup and World Twenty20 squads Tuesday after injuries to Babar Azam and Ruman Raees. Sharjeel, who played the last of his three T20s in 2013, guided Islamabad United to the Pakistan Super League final with a century in the playoff win against Shahid Afridi-led Peshawar Zalmi at Dubai Sunday. Sharjeel replaces Azam, who broke his left forearm during practice in the PSL, and was out for three to four weeks, the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement. Sharjeel hammered 117 off 62 balls to score the first century in the PSL against the likes of Wahab Riaz and Shaun Tait. The left-handed Sharjeel has 287 runs in 10 PSL matches at a healthy strike rate of 151.05. Raees, a left-arm fast bowler, has a grade one hamstring strain, and was replaced by fast bowler Sami, who has taken 11 wickets in the PSL. Islamabad United batsman Kalid Latif, who scored 190 runs in the PSL, has been included in the World T20 squad in place of Iftikhar Ahmed. Chief selector Haroon Rasheed said Pakistan had an option to make changes in its World T20 squad before March 8, and after watching Latif’s performance in the PSL it was decided to leave out Ahmed. “Khalid Latif could not be made part of the Asia Cup squad due to some technical reasons, but would join the squad for the World Twenty20,” Rasheed said. The Asia Cup starts in Bangladesh this week, and the World T20 in India next month. Rubel misses out on contract Bangladesh has dropped paceman Rubel Hossain from its list of contracted players after accusing him of failing to follow instructions to help him recover from injury. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has asked the 26-year-old to explain why he failed to follow the guidelines drawn up by the team physio to hasten his recovery from a calf injury. “We’ve told Rubel we will reconsider reinstating him in the national contract only after he gives a satisfactory answer to our notice,” board spokesman Jalal Yunus told AFP Tuesday. Rubel, a key member of Bangladesh’s attack at last year’s World Cup, has been sidelined since November after he aggravated a calf injury. After sustaining the injury during the Bangladesh A team’s tour of India in September, he played six matches in the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament. The cricket board late Monday announced 14 players would be given contracts for this year, which makes them part of the national squad and entitles them to a regular salary. The contract list includes three newcomers: Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman and Mustafizur Rahman, who were rewarded for good performances in 2015. The board also announced a 25 per cent pay rise for the contracted players. — Agencies