Pakistan have added middle-order batter Saud Shakeel to Pakistan’s Asia Cup squad with Tayyab Tahir named as the travelling reserve, the national cricket board said on Saturday.

Left-handed batter Shakeel wasn’t a part of the initial 17-member squad for the regional event. He was the 18th member of the ODI squad for the Afghanistan bilateral series.

Tahir, who was initially in the squad, didn’t play a game in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. He would travel with the team during the Asia Cup as a reserve player.

Pakistan play against Nepal in Multan on August 30 in the tournament opener.

Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir. Traveling reserve: Tayyab Tahir

The Babar Azam’s side would arrive in Multan on August 27 and would rest the next day. The team management has provided relaxation to the players who participated in the Lankan Premier League. Babar, Imamul Haq and Naseem Shah would travel to Lahore on Sunday and join the side on Monday evening.

The national team would train on August 29 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.