Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq to announce pool of 35 players for series against Zimbabwe, New Zealand

Karachi: Pakistan head coach-cum-chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq plans to announce a pool of 35 players who will not only play the home white-ball series against Zimbabwe but also tour New Zealand with the senior and A teams from November. Misbah has held a series of meetings with the head coaches of the provincial teams taking part in the National T20 Championship, some of whom are also members of the national selection committee, to discuss plans for the upcoming series. “There is consensus that chances should be given to some of the young players and top performers of the last domestic season and in the National T20 event against Zimbabwe and also for the tour of New Zealand,” a source said. Pakistan’s senior team is due to play two Tests and three T20 internationals in New Zealand while the A side will play two four-day games and six T20 matches. “Batsmen Zeeshan Ashraf, Abdullah Shafiq, Zeeshan Malik and top performers like left-arm spinner Nauman Ali will get their chances this time,” the source added. Since the team returned from England, Misbah has been under some pressure over the fact that he holds several positions. Besides being chief coach and chief selector, he is also in a senior position with the Sui Northern Gas and has worked as a head coach of the United Islamabad franchise in the Pakistan Super League. The Pakistan Cricket Board has made it clear to him that he will not be allowed to work in the PSL and while he can retain his post in the SNGP, he has to get official leave without pay from his department to continue working as head coach and chief selector of the national team, for which he gets a handsome salary from the board.