What happened is past, should focus on present now: Saqlain Mushtaq

Pakistan team’s acting coach Saqlain Mushtaq said that he is currently focusing on ODI and T20I series against New Zealand scheduled from September 17 to October 3.

He declined to comment on Misbah ul Haq and Waqar Younis’s sudden retirement while talking to media and said that people should move on.

“What happened is past and I don’t want to go into it. PCB is handling this matter and they will deal it accordingly,” he stated.

“My focus as an interim coach is the upcoming New Zealand series. This will be my first assignment and I will try my best to utilize my coaching experience to make this bunch competitive for the games,” he said.

Saqlain further added that the next two, three months are crucial for the national squad. However, he said that he has no plan for long terms, for now, to continue as a coach. “I have been given this short-term role and my focus is just the New Zealand series. This series will be a preparatory one for the team so we will make sure to try different combinations.”

“I have nothing to do with the selection. My job is to utilize the given players in their capacity and help them compete in the ground,” he responded to a query about criticism on selection.

Pak-NZ series schedule, squad and other details

ODI Series

Pakistan and New Zealand will play their first ODI on Friday, September 17, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The second ODI will be played on September 19, at the same venue. The final ODI will be played on September 21.

Squads

Pakistan (ODI)

Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Wasim Jr., Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir and Zahid Mahmood

New Zealand (ODI)

Tom Latham (c) (wk), Finn Allen, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (wk), Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole McConchie, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Blair Tickner, Will Young

Coaching Staff: Glenn Pocknall, Graeme Aldridge, Thilan Samaraweera

T20I Series

Pakistan and New Zealand will play five T20Is at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from September 25.

The first T20I will be played on September 25, followed by the second T20I on September 26, the third T20I on September 29, the fourth T20I on October 1, and the last T20I on October 3.

Pakistan squad:

Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Asif Ali, Azam Khan (wk), Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sohaib Maqsood

New Zealand squad:

Tom Latham (c) (wk) Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (wk) Mark Chapman, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Ajaz Patel, Ish Sodhi, Ben Sears, Blair Tickner, Will Young

Coaching Staff: Shane Jurgensen, Glenn Pocknall, Graeme Aldridge, Tilan Samaraweera

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