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Sarfaraz Ahmed speaking during the Pakistan Men's National Selection Committee press conference at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore:
About Ghazi Ghori and Shamyl Hussain’s selection:
“If you look at the discussion about Haseebullah and Ghazi Ghori, we currently have three to four wicketkeepers in the pipeline. For the past two years, Haseebullah has been playing, Rohail Nazir has been playing, and Ghazi Ghori has also been playing.”
“Primarily, Ghazi Ghori’s current form has been outstanding. In the President’s Trophy playoff tournament, he performed very well. And when we looked at Rizwan’s possible replacement, we wanted a wicketkeeper who could also bat in the middle order and step in if Rizwan got injured. Since Rizwan usually bats in the middle order, Ghazi Ghori fits that role perfectly. At the moment, he seemed the best choice among wicketkeepers to go alongside Rizwan.”
“From a development perspective, four or five boys did not go on this tour, and new players were taken instead. So, in terms of development, Ghazi Ghori was the best option, given his current performance. Apart from him, all the other keepers in our set‑up are also playing somewhere. Haseebullah, for example, has previously been part of the Pakistan team. For four to five months, Aqib Bhai had him at the National Cricket Academy. Recently, however, his current form has not been very good. But he is still part of the set‑up.”
“We all discussed that our young lot, who will be free in the next three to four months, will be called to the revived National Cricket Academy. Insha’Allah, we will gather them there, assess them, and then prepare another bunch of players to try again for 2027.”
“About Shamyl Hussain: many people are talking a lot about his selection. But if you look at his overall performances over the last two seasons — whether in the Quaid‑e‑Azam Trophy, the President’s Trophy, or the President’s One‑Day Cup — his performances have been very promising. If you consider today’s cricket, you need a top‑order batsman who plays in that modern style, and I think his performances have been excellent. Sometimes players are unlucky and fail to perform at a higher level. Many players do very well in domestic cricket but take time to adjust and gain exposure in international cricket. But Shamyl’s overall performances over the past two years have been very strong. He is a very promising player, and we fully expect that in the coming times, Insha’Allah, he will perform well and people will recognize him as a top player.”
“As for the talk about his technique —working on technique is an ongoing process. Even after 20 years of playing, every cricketer continues to work on technique. He is still a young boy, so I think we should let him play. Based on his performances, he has earned his place in the team.”
About aggression during the game:
“First, you asked about aggression. We need to understand that today’s cricket is very different from the cricket of the past. Back then, there weren’t so many cameras, and referees were not as active. Sometimes things were overlooked — a push here, a body touch there. But now, whether we are sitting here or watching on TV, our time has passed, and the new generation’s time has begun. We must see things according to their era. Everyone has a different style of aggression and captaincy. Mine was different, Salman Ali Agha’s is different— each person has their own way. I think we should judge players according to their own nature.”
“Aggression should definitely be shown. I am completely against the idea that a bowler delivers a ball, gets hit for six, and then just smiles and walks away. That should never happen. On the ground, no one is your friend. If you are playing cricket, whether against a friendly nation or not, you should not accept being hit for six lightly. If someone hits you, you must respond with the next ball in such a way that they feel the pressure. As for aggression, take Shaheen Shah Afridi for example. I feel he gets angry, and quite often. Sometimes that anger helps him bowl very well, though he doesn’t always use the bouncer. So, I think every player has their own nature, and they play cricket according to that.”
About Ghazi Ghori and Shamyl Hussain’s selection:
“If you look at the discussion about Haseebullah and Ghazi Ghori, we currently have three to four wicketkeepers in the pipeline. For the past two years, Haseebullah has been playing, Rohail Nazir has been playing, and Ghazi Ghori has also been playing.”
“Primarily, Ghazi Ghori’s current form has been outstanding. In the President’s Trophy playoff tournament, he performed very well. And when we looked at Rizwan’s possible replacement, we wanted a wicketkeeper who could also bat in the middle order and step in if Rizwan got injured. Since Rizwan usually bats in the middle order, Ghazi Ghori fits that role perfectly. At the moment, he seemed the best choice among wicketkeepers to go alongside Rizwan.”
“From a development perspective, four or five boys did not go on this tour, and new players were taken instead. So, in terms of development, Ghazi Ghori was the best option, given his current performance. Apart from him, all the other keepers in our set‑up are also playing somewhere. Haseebullah, for example, has previously been part of the Pakistan team. For four to five months, Aqib Bhai had him at the National Cricket Academy. Recently, however, his current form has not been very good. But he is still part of the set‑up.”
“We all discussed that our young lot, who will be free in the next three to four months, will be called to the revived National Cricket Academy. Insha’Allah, we will gather them there, assess them, and then prepare another bunch of players to try again for 2027.”
“About Shamyl Hussain: many people are talking a lot about his selection. But if you look at his overall performances over the last two seasons — whether in the Quaid‑e‑Azam Trophy, the President’s Trophy, or the President’s One‑Day Cup — his performances have been very promising. If you consider today’s cricket, you need a top‑order batsman who plays in that modern style, and I think his performances have been excellent. Sometimes players are unlucky and fail to perform at a higher level. Many players do very well in domestic cricket but take time to adjust and gain exposure in international cricket. But Shamyl’s overall performances over the past two years have been very strong. He is a very promising player, and we fully expect that in the coming times, Insha’Allah, he will perform well and people will recognize him as a top player.”
“As for the talk about his technique —working on technique is an ongoing process. Even after 20 years of playing, every cricketer continues to work on technique. He is still a young boy, so I think we should let him play. Based on his performances, he has earned his place in the team.”
About aggression during the game:
“First, you asked about aggression. We need to understand that today’s cricket is very different from the cricket of the past. Back then, there weren’t so many cameras, and referees were not as active. Sometimes things were overlooked — a push here, a body touch there. But now, whether we are sitting here or watching on TV, our time has passed, and the new generation’s time has begun. We must see things according to their era. Everyone has a different style of aggression and captaincy. Mine was different, Salman Ali Agha’s is different— each person has their own way. I think we should judge players according to their own nature.”
“Aggression should definitely be shown. I am completely against the idea that a bowler delivers a ball, gets hit for six, and then just smiles and walks away. That should never happen. On the ground, no one is your friend. If you are playing cricket, whether against a friendly nation or not, you should not accept being hit for six lightly. If someone hits you, you must respond with the next ball in such a way that they feel the pressure. As for aggression, take Shaheen Shah Afridi for example. I feel he gets angry, and quite often. Sometimes that anger helps him bowl very well, though he doesn’t always use the bouncer. So, I think every player has their own nature, and they play cricket according to that.”
