By Bareera Asif
LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the 22 members squad for upcoming one day cricket World Cup 2019 starting from May 30, 2019 in England. The opening match will be held between England and South Africa on Thursday May 30,2019 in historic cricket stadium situated in Oval, England while the final will be struck in Lord’s Cricket Stadium London on 14th July.
The 22 members squad selected by the PCB would start training sessions in Qaddafi Stadium from Dec 25, 2018 to Mar 30, 2019.
The preliminary selected team members included Sarfraz Ahmad (Captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmad Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Muhammad Hafeez, Imam ul Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Haris Sohail, Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, Muhammad Nawaz, Shoaib Khan, Yasir Shah, Imad Wasim, Muhammad Amir, Hassan Ali, Shahid Afridi, Anwar Ali, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz and Muhammad Irfan.
Final selection board for cricket world cup matches will be held under PCB on 29th April 2019.
It is noteworthy that Pakistan has played 902 ODIs, winning 477, losing 398, tying 8 with 19 ending in no-result. Pakistan was the 1992 world cup champion. Pakistan, in conjunction with other countries in South Asia, has hosted the 1987 and 1996 world cups, with the 1996 final hosted at Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The team has also played 139 twenty20 internationals, the most of any team, winning 89 losing 47 and tying 3. Pakistan won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 and were runners-up in the inaugural tournament in 2007. Pakistan also won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy for the first time defeating India.