Shadab returns to Pakistan's T20I side for tour of Sri Lanka

Shadab Khan has returned to Pakistan's T20I squad, while uncapped batter and part-time wicketkeeper Khawaja Nafay has earned a first call-up for the three-match T20I series in Sri Lanka in January. Salman Agha will continue to lead the side as it takes part in its last set of games in the run up to the T20 World Cup, to be played in February-March in India and Sri Lanka.

Prior to his appearance for Sydney Thunder in the ongoing BBL in Australia, Shadab was last in action in June this year, when he played in the T20I series at home against Bangladesh. Pakistan won that series 3-0 with Shadab picking up four wickets and scoring 55 runs. He subsequently underwent surgery to address a recurring issue in his right shoulder and returned to competitive cricket only on December 16, at the BBL, after a period of rehabilitation.

Nafay, 23, was in action in the Abu Dhabi T10 recently, and has been part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad. Nafay has featured in 32 T20 matches, scoring 688 runs at a strike rate of 132.81.

While BBL's Pakistani participants - Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali - have almost entirely been spared, Pakistan have called up several players taking part in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Nafay, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan and Usman Khan are currently playing in the BPL, which clashes with the three-match series. They will leave their respective BPL sides to link up with the squad in Sri Lanka.

When announced, this series was viewed as a way to fine tune preparations ahead of the T20 World Cup. A statement on the PCB website declared that the "series would provide Pakistan an opportunity to finalise their squad" ahead of the World Cup. However, with the exclusion of some players whose place in the World Cup is largely guaranteed, it represents a chance for a number of new players to stake a claim in the medium term. Top-order batter Abdul Samad has been knocking on the door of the national side for the best part of a year and, alongside Nafay, offers Pakistan further top-order depth in an already crowded field of players vying for a spot in the top four.

Fast bowler Salman Mirza had begun to establish a first-team slot for himself at the back end of last year, playing most recently in Pakistan's tri-series final win over Sri Lanka. In the absence of either Afridi or Rauf, he will, alongside Naseem Shah, be the leader of Pakistan's seam attack in Sri Lanka, likely vying for a fast-bowling slot at the World Cup alongside Mohammad Wasim, Naseem and Rauf.

Pakistan have one other series before the World Cup begins, three home matches against Australia at the end of January.

Salman Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq