Pakistan will take on Afghanistan in the T20I tri-series opener at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday, August 29. The hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE), are the third team in the tournament.
The top two sides will lock horns in the final of the tri-series on Sunday, September 7. Salman Ali Agha, who has captained in 18 matches, is leading the 17-member Pakistan squad.
Since arriving in the UAE on August 20, Pakistan have held training sessions and practice matches in Dubai to prepare for the competition.
The series offers all three teams’ valuable preparation ahead of the eight-team ACC Asia Cup. The event will take place in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from September 9 to September 28.
In head-to-head, Pakistan have played seven T20Is against Afghanistan, winning four. While their only T20I against the UAE came in the 2016 Asia Cup, which Pakistan won.
Salman Ali Agha said, “This tri-series will greatly help us in our preparations for the Asia Cup. I am very excited about it. I know it will be a challenging contest for which we are fully ready.
“Leading the Pakistan team is not only an honour for me but also a great responsibility. The team is playing good cricket at the moment. I am hopeful we will continue to deliver strong performances in the matches ahead.”
Pakistan squad:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufyan Moqim.
Tri-series schedule (all matches at Sharjah Cricket Stadium):
29 August – Afghanistan v Pakistan – 7 pm local time
30 August – UAE v Pakistan – 7 pm local time
1 September – UAE v Afghanistan – 7 pm local time
2 September – Pakistan v Afghanistan – 7 pm local time
4 September – Pakistan v UAE – 7 pm local time
5 September – Afghanistan v UAE – 7 pm local time
7 September – Final – 7 pm local time
