A quick look at players profile of Pakistan 15-member World Cup 2015 squad

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced 15-man squad for World Cup 2015 lets have a quick look at players profile.

Profile of cricket players are as below:

Openers: Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez:

Ahmed Shehzad born on 23rd November 1991  is a right-handed opening batsman and also a part-time leg-spinner. He used to play domestic cricket for Habib Bank Limited. He is the only batsman frome Pakistan who made century in every format of the game. The batsman made his One Day International debut on 24 April 2009 against Australia and also debut T20I on 7 May 2009 against same team.

Mohammad Hafeez born on 17th October 1980 is a former skipper of Pakistan T20 team. He is a right-handed opening batsman and a right-arm off-spinner considered specialist against the left-handed batsmans. Hafeez usually opens the batting and forms part of the bowling attack. He was involved in record opening partnership of 224 runs with Nasir Jamshed.

Misbah-ul-Haq (captain of Pakistan cricket team)

Misbah ul Haq born on 28th May 1974 is the current Test and One Day International (ODI) captain and middle order batsman. He is known for his composure with the bat whilst also having the ability to be an aggressive big shot player when required. He is the top scorer in ODI cricket among those players who haven’t scored a century in ODI.

Shahid Afridi:

Shahid Afridi born on 1st March 1980, is a world famous Pakistani cricketer also known as Boom Boom Afridi. He made his ODI debut on 2 October 1996 against Kenya and his Test debut on 22 October 1998 against Australia. Afridi has played more ODI matches than any other Pakistani cricket player.

He is known for his aggressive batting style, and previously held the record for the fastest ODI century i.e.in 37 deliveries, (Now broken by Corey Anderson who took one delivery less i.e.36 deliveries in 2014) which he made in his first international innings, as well as scoring 32 runs in a single over, the third highest scoring over ever in an ODI. He also holds record of most number of sixes in the history of ODI cricket.

Younis Khan

Younis Khan born on 29th November 1977 is a former captain of the team. He is only the third Pakistani player to score 300 or more runs in an innings and only second player to score two centuries in each innings of the teat match against Australia. Like Imran Khan, he is most remembered for his leadership letting Pakistan win 2009 ICC World Twenty20. He also holds the most centuries by a Pakistani cricketer in test cricket.

Umar Akmal

Umar Akmal born on 26th May 1990 is a Pakistani cricketer. He made his ODI debut on 1 August 2009 against Sri Lanka and made his Test debut against New Zealand on 23 November 2009. He is a right-handed batsman and a part-time spinner. Like his two brothers, Adnan and Kamran, Umar has kept wicket for the national team.

Mohammad Irfan

Muhammad Irfan born on 6 June 1982 is a tallest cricketer currently in International cricket. Pakistani left arm fast bowler has the advantage of his height plus pace which made him almost unplayable.

Junaid Khan

Junaid Khan born 24th December 1989 is a left arm fast bowler. He is the first player from Swabi to qualify for the Pakistan national cricket team, and his cousin, the leg-spinner Yasir Shah, followed his path later on. After an injury to Sohail Tanvir on the eve of the 2011 World Cup, Khan was called up as his replacement, with no experience in international cricket. Khan did not play in the tournament, and later made his ODI debut in April 2011. In June that year Khan represented Lancashire County Cricket Club in English domestic cricket.

Sohaib Maqsood

Sohaib Maqsood born on 15th April 1987 is a Pakistani cricketer belongs to Multan, the same city to which one the greatest Pakistani batsman Inzamam-Ul-Haq (Inzi) belongs. He made his ODI debut for Pakistan against South Africa on November 8, 2013 and was praised for his performance on his debut as he scored 56 runs off 54 balls. His squad number is 92, which he chose as a personal tribute to the winning Pakistan team of the 1992 Cricket World Cup.

Sohaib Maqsood a talented cricketer is also one of a few Pakistani cricketers to possess a Masters degree. He has a Masters degree in Sports Science. He was also enrolled in MBA program at Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan but had to leave it to pursue the cricketing career.

Haris Sohail

Haris Sohail born on 9th January 1989 is a is a left-arm orthodox bowler who bats left-handed. He has represented Sialkot Stallions, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited cricket team and Sialkot cricket team. He was selected for the Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Sri Lanka in 2012 and played for Sialkot Stallions in the 2012 edition of the Champions League T20 competition. He made his debut against New Zealand in 2014 and made a strong impact with the bat as well as with the bowl which earned him spot in the World Cup 2015.

Sarfaraz Ahmed

Sarfraz Ahmed born on 22nd May 1987 is a Pakistani cricketer who captained Pakistan to victory at the Under 19 World Cup in 2006. He is a wicket-keeper and a right-handed batsman. He had played just a few games for the Pakistan Under 19 cricket team before being selected as captain for the Under 19 Cricket World Cup. He plays first class cricket for Karachi.

On 4/12/2014 Safraz Ahmed scored a brilliant 76 not out in a T20 match against New Zealand. At the same time Pakistan became the first team to reach 50 T20 wins. Due to his terrific form with the bat and behind the stumps in recent tours earned him a place in final 15 for the tournament.

Wahab Riaz

Wahab Riaz is a Pakistani cricketer. He is a left-arm fast bowler and a right-hand batsman. Riaz is a former student of Aitchison College, Lahore. He frequently bowls at speeds of around 92 miles per hour (148 km/h) and has reached 95 to 96 miles per hour (153 to 154 km/h).

Riaz was chosen in the squad for the tri-series in Bangladesh which also included India and in his first match against Bangladesh; he finished with 3 wickets for 22 runs in 7 overs and in the next match although he took two Indian wickets he conceded 85 runs.

Wahab made his Test debut against England in the third test of the 2010 series. England batted first and Wahab took 5/63 in the first innings. In Pakistan’s first innings he came into bat at number 3 and made 27 runs.

Ehsan Adil

Ehsan Adil born on 15 March 1993 is a right-hand bat and right-arm fast. He has represented Faisalabad Wolves, Habib Bank Limited cricket team and Pakistan Under-19 cricket team. He has been selected in Pakistan’s Test Squad for tour to South Africa in February 2013.

Ehsan Adil had played only 12 first-class matches, and was a month shy of his 20th birthday, when he played his first Test match, against South Africa in Centurion. If that’s not impressive enough, he dismissed Graeme Smith off his third ball in international cricket, immediately justifying the selection.

Yasir Shah

Yasir Shah born on 2nd May 1986 is all set for World Cup debut for Pakistan after impressive show in Test series against Australia and New Zealand. He is a specialist leg-spinner. He’s also a cousin to Pakistan fast-bowler Junaid Khan. He made his Test match debut for Pakistan against Australia in the United Arab Emirates on 22 October 2014.

He played his first international match, the third game of one-day international series on Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe, on 14 September 2011. In the game he took 2 for 51 runs (10 overs). The wickets were of Zimbabwean opener Vusi Sibanda and star wicketkeeper-batsman Tatenda Taibu

Sohail Khan

Sohail Khan born on 3rd March 1984 is a right-arm fast-medium bowler, he gained instant recognition during his debut first-class season in 2007 when he broke Fazal Mahmood’s record for the best bowling figures by a Pakistani in a first-class match. Shortly afterwards he made his international debut, in an ODI against Zimbabwe. Sohail Khan is part of team for 2015 Cricket world Cup.