Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi is all set to return to international cricket after four months as the management recalls its key fast bowler for the series against New Zealand.

“The left-arm pacer was named in the Pakistan T20I and ODI squads for the series against New Zealand, which will be played in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi from 14 April to 7 May,” said the PCB press release.

Shaheen had missed five Tests and three ODIs against England and New Zealand post the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 as he was completing his rehabilitation following a knee injury he had sustained during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in July. He had subsequently missed the second Test against Sri Lanka, ODI series against the Netherlands, ACC Asia Cup in the UAE and the seven-match T20I series in Pakistan.

The 22-year-old, who has taken 99 Test, 62 ODI and 58 T20I wickets, staged a remarkable comeback in the Pakistan Super League 8 when he inspired Lahore Qalandars to become the first side to successfully defend the title. “Not only that, Shaheen’s own performance was outstanding both with the bat and the ball – he scored 133 runs at a strike rate of 168.35 and grabbed 19 wickets at an economy rate of 9.13. He was rightly named captain of Team of PSL 8,” it said.

Apart from Shaheen, also returning to both the squads are Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan. All these players had rested for last month’s three-T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah.

Azam will resume his services as captain in the ODI and T20I series against New Zealand, while Shadab would return to his original position as vice-captain.

Three young guns – Ihsanullah, Saim Ayub and Zaman Khan – have been retained in the T20I squad following stellar performances in Sharjah, while Ihsanullah has also been added to the ODI squad for the first time in his career.

The squad will assemble in Lahore on 6 April where the training camp will commence on April 7.

Squads:

T20I: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Zaman Khan

ODI: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Usama Mir. Reserves: Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Tayyab Tahir

Series schedule (T20Is to start at 9pm; ODIs to begin at 3.30pm):

• 14 Apr - 1st T20I, Lahore
• 15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Lahore
• 17 Apr – 3rd T20I, Lahore
• 20 Apr – 4th T20I, Rawalpindi
• 24 Apr – 5th T20I, Rawalpindi
• 27 Apr – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi
• 29 Apr – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
• 3 May – 3rd ODI, Karachi
• 5 May – 4th ODI, Karachi
• 7 May – 5th ODI, Karachi