Chief Selector names three promising youngsters for Pakistan

Pakistan’s Chief Selector, Haroon Rasheed, has pointed out three promising young cricketers who have caught the attention of the Pakistani cricket authorities.

After performing consistently over the past two years and the recent Pakistan Shaheens’ tour to Zimbabwe, Mohammad Hurraira and Aamer Jamal have received their maiden Test call-ups for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka in July.

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Omair Yousuf, a 24-year-old batsman, had an outstanding outing during Pakistan Shaheens' tour of Zimbabwe. He topped the batting charts with 348 runs from three innings, including his highest first-class score of 250 not out in the first four-day match. However, he missed out on selection for the aforementioned tour.

While speaking to Cricket Pakistan about the importance of domestic cricket and the need to recognize its value, Rasheed expressed his optimism about the future of Pakistani cricket and the potential contribution of these talented youngsters.

"If you will not honor your domestic cricket, then there is no substantial use of it. That is why we have tried to arrange junior tours as much as possible. So that we can better see and evaluate their performance in foreign conditions other than domestic conditions only. So for that matter, we have seen Muhammad Huraira, Aamer Jamal, and Omair [bin Yousaf] all delivering outstanding performance for two to three years,” Rasheed said. 

“Huraira has been performing for two to three years, whereas Omair has emerged over the past one year, which is indeed a very good sign. We are hoping that these two players or other players who wouldn't be able to secure a spot in Pakistan's team, we certainly would see them in action in Pakistan's Shaheens.,” he added.

The Chief Selector expressed his gratitude for having such a talented group of young players at their disposal. With an average age of around 27 to 28 years, Rasheed believes that if this squad remains fit and continues to perform consistently, it has the potential to form a formidable unit in the years to come.

“In my opinion, we are very lucky to have this amazing lot. Their average age is around 27 to 28 years, so if this squad remains fit for the next four to six years and keeps performing consistently, it can shape into a very strong unit in the later stages. Nevertheless, I can see a pleasant future for Pakistan's cricket team. Most importantly, the kind of measures we are taking, I am certain it will pan out great results for us," he added.