US Ambassador Donald Blome recently hosted a meet-and-greet event for the Pakistani cricket team in anticipation of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2024, scheduled for June in the United States and the West Indies.
The US Embassy in Islamabad shared photos of the event on its social media platform, showcasing interactions between Ambassador Blome and members of the Pakistani national squad.
During the event, left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and all-rounder Shadab Khan shared some cricket tips with Ambassador Blome, using a specially designed cricket ball.
The players presented Ambassador Blome with a signed cricket bat and team jersey, while Blome reciprocated by gifting the team a commemorative embassy cricket ball and an autographed softball bat.
Embassy employees were delighted to see players like Shaheen, Shadab, and Imad Wasim showcasing their bowling and batting skills. The players also engaged in taking pictures, selfies, and signing autographs during their visit to the embassy.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is yet to finalize its squad for the upcoming tour of Ireland and England. The selectors are awaiting updates on the fitness of four injured players – Haris Rauf, Azam Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, and Irfan Khan Niazi – before announcing the team for the T20I matches in England and Ireland.
Once the selectors receive updates on the players’ fitness, they will announce the team for the three-match series against Ireland. Subsequently, the cricket board will finalize a 15-member squad for the World Cup, as per the deadline set by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on May 25.
The T20I matches against Ireland and England will serve as a crucial opportunity for players to prove themselves and secure a spot in the World Cup squad. A brief training camp is scheduled to commence from May 3 in Lahore before the team’s departure for Ireland.
