Usman Khan Shinwari to join Pakistan team in Dubai for T20 Internationals

Karachi: Maintaining its tradition of blooding rookie pace bowlers at a young age, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today sent a 19-year-old left arm pacer, Usman Khan Shinwari to Dubai to join the national team for the two Twenty20 Internationals against Sri Lanka.

A spokesman of the PCB said Shinwari would join the team tomorrow and will be available for the first match to be played on the same day.

"Usman Khan has been included in the national T20 side after consultations between the selectors and the team management," the spokesman said.

Pakistan's Test and One-day captain, Misbah-ul-Haq had hinted recently that the youngster from the Khyber Agency in the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province could be inducted into the national team after he came up with an amazing spell of five for nine in the final of the national T20 championship in Lahore.

Usman had dismissed Misbah in the final.

"It is a dream come true for me. I was not expecting this call up but mentally I am prepared for this challenge if I get a chance to play," Usman said.

The pacer, who just finished a first class match of the President's Cup, said playing for Pakistan would be the ultimate challenge for him.

Usman has played just four first class since making his debut this year in a Ramazan cricket T20 tournament in Karachi.

Pakistan will play two T20 Internationals on December 11 and 13, followed by five One-day Internationals and three Tests in the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan team has been without their most experienced pacer Umar Gul since early this year due to a knee injury and also lost tall left arm pacer, Muhammad Irfan to a hip fracture during the recent series against South Africa in the UAE.