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Sources say pacer Muhammad Amir was not accompanying the team
LAHORE: Pakistan cricket team on Monday left for Ireland-England tour, where green shirts will play one Test match against Ireland, two Tests against England and two T-20 internationals against Scotland.
The sources, however, has stated that pacer Muhammad Amir was not accompanying the team as he was unable to get the visa. He will fly to the UK on Wednesday, the sources added.
Pakistan will start its tour with a practice match against Kent on April 28, followed by the second match against Northamptonshire on May 4.
The team will then play against Ireland, who will be playing their first ever Test match, on May 11 and then will take on England for two Test matches on May 24 and June 1.
The team will then face Scotland for two T20 matches on May 12 and 13.
Before leaving for the tour, Pakistani team took part in a training camp in Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
On Saturday, a day before departing for a daunting tour to the British Isles, Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed brushed aside criticism over the non-selection of Fawad Alam and emphasised that the 16-man squad selected for the tour is the “best of the best”.
Pakistan has picked a fairly young Test squad, with five uncapped players: Fakhar Zaman, Faheem Ashraf, Imam ul Haq and Usman Salahuddin. While Alam’s exclusion caused widespread debate in Pakistan, the team continued to train in Lahore as per normal, undergoing extensive drills in preparation for the tour.
“There is no pressure, but there is a will to form a squad with the best players,” Sarfraz said. “Invariably, a few will get left out, and only 16 make the squad, but there is nothing to worry. There is no problem for those who are not selected this time around, and it’s not like they will never be picked again. My hopes are very high and I am optimistic with these new boys. The best thing about them is that they are willing to perform on the big stage.
“Fawad was called among the probables with an intent to consider him for the national selection. We have seen him in the nets and then considered everything before we picked the squad. It’s not like I voted him out; if it was in my hands, I would have picked all 25 players for the tour.
