- Joined
- Apr 13, 2025
- Runs
- 3,105
On Babar Azam’s selection:
“I certainly endorse his selection. With Fakhar Zaman, we sent him back to first-class cricket after a discussion about his focus on the one-day format. He wanted to work on his technique, so we gave him a break from T20s to get things right. I fully supported that decision, and it created an opportunity for another top-order player. It’s a great chance to get Babar back into the squad. He’s likely to bat at number three — a role I’m confident he’ll do well in. His inclusion also gives our squad more flexibility heading into the World Cup.”
On Mohammad Haris being dropped:
“Mohammad Haris has had plenty of opportunities recently, and I think he’d be the first to admit that he hasn’t made the most of them. But he’s still young and very much a developing player, so I’d never say his career is over. He does, however, need to work on his decision-making with the bat. Even domestically, he averages around 17 in T20 cricket — that’s an area he must improve to force his way back.
Usman Khan, on the other hand, is an excellent player of spin. We see our wicketkeeper batting more in the middle order rather than at the top, especially since playing spin in Sri Lanka will be a key factor for the World Cup. That’s why Usman has been given this opportunity in the current series.”
On South Africa’s challenge:
“The side that played against Namibia is quite different from the one we’ll face. Many of their key players are back, so we can’t read too much into that result. Aiden Markram captained that match, which gave us a small glimpse of his leadership style, but this is a much stronger bowling unit now. South Africa’s T20 side is very dangerous — they have match-winners who can turn a game on their own. We’re aware of that threat, but our main focus remains on our own preparation for the World Cup. We’ve won 15 of our last 21 T20 matches and are moving up the rankings, though there’s still plenty to improve.”
On Pakistan’s finishing struggles and “choking” claims:
“I wouldn’t say Pakistan have ‘choked’ in any game. We’ve won 15 of our last 21 T20s. Yes, we got ourselves into a good position in the Asia Cup final but couldn’t finish the job, which was disappointing. But that was against a top side currently ranked number one in the world. It showed us areas we need to work on — particularly playing spin through the middle overs. We’ve made some adjustments there, and hopefully, we’ll show improvement in this series.”
On Pakistan’s World Cup preparation:
“I think we’ve got most of our World Cup squad sorted, but there’s still competition for a few spots. In spin bowling, we’ve brought in Usman Tariq, while Sufyan Muqeem remains very much in our plans. He’s been sent back to first-class cricket to keep developing, though I was disappointed he didn’t play the recent match. Tariq brings a point of difference as an exciting prospect.
The wicketkeeping role is also competitive — Usman Khan’s inclusion adds more depth. And with Babar returning, there’s extra competition in the top order as well. We’re close to finalizing our group, but this series and the upcoming tri-series will help us refine our options in case of form or injuries.”
“I certainly endorse his selection. With Fakhar Zaman, we sent him back to first-class cricket after a discussion about his focus on the one-day format. He wanted to work on his technique, so we gave him a break from T20s to get things right. I fully supported that decision, and it created an opportunity for another top-order player. It’s a great chance to get Babar back into the squad. He’s likely to bat at number three — a role I’m confident he’ll do well in. His inclusion also gives our squad more flexibility heading into the World Cup.”
On Mohammad Haris being dropped:
“Mohammad Haris has had plenty of opportunities recently, and I think he’d be the first to admit that he hasn’t made the most of them. But he’s still young and very much a developing player, so I’d never say his career is over. He does, however, need to work on his decision-making with the bat. Even domestically, he averages around 17 in T20 cricket — that’s an area he must improve to force his way back.
Usman Khan, on the other hand, is an excellent player of spin. We see our wicketkeeper batting more in the middle order rather than at the top, especially since playing spin in Sri Lanka will be a key factor for the World Cup. That’s why Usman has been given this opportunity in the current series.”
On South Africa’s challenge:
“The side that played against Namibia is quite different from the one we’ll face. Many of their key players are back, so we can’t read too much into that result. Aiden Markram captained that match, which gave us a small glimpse of his leadership style, but this is a much stronger bowling unit now. South Africa’s T20 side is very dangerous — they have match-winners who can turn a game on their own. We’re aware of that threat, but our main focus remains on our own preparation for the World Cup. We’ve won 15 of our last 21 T20 matches and are moving up the rankings, though there’s still plenty to improve.”
On Pakistan’s finishing struggles and “choking” claims:
“I wouldn’t say Pakistan have ‘choked’ in any game. We’ve won 15 of our last 21 T20s. Yes, we got ourselves into a good position in the Asia Cup final but couldn’t finish the job, which was disappointing. But that was against a top side currently ranked number one in the world. It showed us areas we need to work on — particularly playing spin through the middle overs. We’ve made some adjustments there, and hopefully, we’ll show improvement in this series.”
On Pakistan’s World Cup preparation:
“I think we’ve got most of our World Cup squad sorted, but there’s still competition for a few spots. In spin bowling, we’ve brought in Usman Tariq, while Sufyan Muqeem remains very much in our plans. He’s been sent back to first-class cricket to keep developing, though I was disappointed he didn’t play the recent match. Tariq brings a point of difference as an exciting prospect.
The wicketkeeping role is also competitive — Usman Khan’s inclusion adds more depth. And with Babar returning, there’s extra competition in the top order as well. We’re close to finalizing our group, but this series and the upcoming tri-series will help us refine our options in case of form or injuries.”
