After accepting a last-minute offer to join the touring party, Pakistan-born former Australian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed will act as a much-needed spin consultant for his adopted nation’s first visit to his birth country in 24 years.
Fawad, who is already in Pakistan with the Lahore Qalandars as a stand-in for Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, will join the Australian squad following the PSL final, which his team won by 42 runs over Multan Sultans.
Fawad Ahmed joins Australian squad as spin consultant
The addition of Ahmed, who has played three T20Is and two ODIs for Australia, as a spin consultant for the upcoming tour of Pakistan is a huge boost for Pat Cummins and his teammates. They now have the services of a player who has played first-class cricket in Pakistan and is well-versed in the country’s conditions.
The veteran leg-spinner, who continues to tour the world on the domestic T20 circuit, had 10 first-class matches in Pakistan before seeking asylum in Australia, where he was granted citizenship in 2013.
He has also returned to the subcontinent nation on a regular basis since 2019 for the PSL tournament, representing three franchises in 23 matches, including 2-26 in his most recent outing in Lahore last Monday.
Due to visa issues, the tourists arrived in Pakistan on Sunday without regular spin bowling coach Sridharan Sriram, a former India spinner. Ahmed is expected to play as a net bowler for Australia when they visit Pakistan for the first time since 1998.
In an interview with reporters on Sunday, Pat Cummins expressed his delight at Ahmed’s appointment.
“It’s going to be great to have ‘Fuzzy’ back around the squad. I haven’t actually seen him for a few years so it’s going to be good to catch up. He’s got a wealth of experience here, playing in Pakistan and the PSL. He knows the venues quite well, so that’s going to be really helpful. And just having another pair of hands around training. He’s always great fun for the group, so great to see him again,” Cummins said.
