Safyaan Sharif, Ravi Bopara in MCC squad for Pakistan tour

MCC are set to play against Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans apart from Northerns - the domestic T20 title winners. © Getty

Kumar Sangakkara-led Marylebone Cricket Club side will tour Pakistan next month with Ravi Bopara also named in the side that will be coached by Ajmal Shahzad. The side also includes the likes of Safyaan Sharif and Michael Leask from Scotland along with Netherlands pair Roelof van der Merwe and Fred Klaassen.

MCC are set to play against Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans apart from Northerns - the domestic T20 title winners. The tour aims to ease fears as international sides have started to tour Pakistan and promote cricket in the country. "We are thrilled to be able to name a strong squad for this tour, which blends youth and experience for a strong side of high quality," John Stephenson, the MCC assistant secretary, said.

"We have really appreciated the collaborative approach from the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Pakistan Super League, which has enabled us to arrange fixtures against sides preparing for this year's PSL tournament as well as to secure the services of some of those participating.

"As a club, we share the PCB's wish in wanting to see international teams returning to play in Pakistan on a regular basis and we hope that this tour contributes to those objectives."

MCC's on-field presence will be boosted further by three additional players - Liam Dawson, Samit Patel and Phil Salt - each of whom will play one match for the Club during the tour.

Saud Shakeel, meanwhile, will captain the Pakistan Shaheens side against the visitors. The matches will take place in Lahore from February 13-19. "I can't emphasise enough on the importance of the MCC's tour to Pakistan, which will be their first in 48 years. The fact that the MCC side will be led by their president and one of the most respected cricketers, Kumar Sangakkara, reflects how the world's oldest and most influential clubs, who are also the guardians of the Laws of Cricket, are viewing this tour," Wasim Khan, PCB's CEO, said.

"The MCC's tour of Pakistan is part of our sincere efforts and endeavours to resume regular and normal international cricket activities. Sri Lanka played a full series, while Bangladesh have just completed white-ball matches and are scheduled to return for the two Tests and an ODI. Similarly, recent visits by Cricket Australia, England and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Ireland and the International Cricket Council officials are a testament of our untiring efforts."

MCC Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Ravi Bopara, Michael Burgess, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Fred Klaassen, Michael Leask, Arron Lilley, Imran Qayyum, Will Rhodes, Safyaan Sharif, Roelof van der Merwe, Ross Whiteley

Pakistan Shaheens: Saud Shakeel (capt), Akif Javed, Haider Ali, Hasan Mohsin, Imran Rafiq, Mohammad Mohsin, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rohail Nazir (wk), Saif Badar, Sameen Gul, Umar Khan, Zeeshan Malik.

Northern: Rohail Nazir (capt, wk), Faizan Riaz, Ali Imran, Haider Ali, Mubashir Khan, Musa Khan, Nauman Ali, Sarmad Bhatti, Shahzad Azam, Shiraz Khan, Zaid Alam, Zeeshan Malik.