Cricket-Pakistan call up Amir, Wasim for T20 series against New Zealand

The five-match series against New Zealand will also see Babar Azam begin his new captaincy stint with Pakistan. Azam was announced as Pakistan's white-ball skipper in March, 4-1/2 months after the batter stepped down as their all-format captain in the wake of their poor performance at the one-day international World Cup in India.

Pakistan on Tuesday named fast bowler Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim in their 17-player Twenty20 squad for their home series against New Zealand, after the duo announced that they were coming out of retirement ahead of the T20 World Cup. Amir, 31, made himself available for the T20 World Cup in March, more than three years after retiring from international cricket.

Amir, who was jailed in 2011 for his part in a spot-fixing scandal, served three months in prison and a five-year ban from all forms of cricket before returning to the Pakistan squad in January 2016. Part of the team that won the 2009 T20 World Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy, Amir last played international cricket against England in August 2020. He has continued played in franchise T20 leagues.

Wasim, 35, also reversed his retirement decision and made himself available for the T20 World Cup in March. Pakistan will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against co-hosts United States on June 6.

"Amir and Imad possess undeniable match-winning capabilities, and we trust they will consistently deliver strong performances to bolster the team's objectives," Pakistan's selection committee member Wahab Riaz said in a statement. The five-match series against New Zealand will also see Babar Azam begin his new captaincy stint with Pakistan.

Azam was announced as Pakistan's white-ball skipper in March, 4-1/2 months after the batter stepped down as their all-format captain in the wake of their poor performance at the one-day international World Cup in India. Pakistan has also called up uncapped batters Muhammad Irfan Khan and Usman Khan.

Earlier in April, the United Arab Emirates banned 28-year-old Pakistan-born Usman Khan from participation in Emirates Cricket Board events for five years after being "found to have breached his obligations owed to Emirates Cricket Board." Pakistan will host the Blackcaps in Rawalpindi on April 18. The series will conclude on April 27 in Lahore.

PAKISTAN SQUAD FOR NEW ZEALAND T20S: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohmmad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan.

Non-travelling reserves - Haseebullah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, and Salman Ali Agha.

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