PCB puts national camp and team selection on hold for series against Afghanistan

The series is due to begin on September 3 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has put a hold on team selection and preparation camp for the upcoming series against Afghanistan following a tense situation in the Taliban-ruled country. 

Afghanistan is in a cloud of uncertainty and PCB will seek confirmation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) regarding the series and will only then start the preparations. 

The series is due to begin on September 3 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka with SLC hosting the matches on behalf of the ACB. 

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An official said that Afghanistan is yet to confirm the availability of Afghan players and the schedule is also not fixed. 

"Once they give us the complete series travel plans and itinerary we will have the camp and also release our squad," he said.

ACB is yet to talk with Taliban and the US troops that is controlling all the flights in and out of Kabul. A senior ACB officer said that they would get the details regarding players’ traveling schedules soon. 

Pakistan is expected to rest senior players including captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and pacers, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the series, which is the first bilateral series between the two countries.

(With PTI inputs)