[PICTURES/VIDEOS] Pakistan name 22 probables for the ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe

[ataullah]

Abdullah Shafiq in Pakistan probables for Zimbabwe series

• Misbah says Pakistan will not experiment in ODIs as every match counts for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 direct qualification, his side will play ODIs for the first time in 12 months, and every opponent needs to be respected irrespective of their international ranking

• The chief selector and head coach wants to give consistent and extended run to his young T20 squad

• “Sarfaraz Ahmed is encouraged to play in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to remain in contention for New Zealand tour as Rizwan remains our first choice on current form,” says Misbah

• Shoaib Malik left out to give better chances to players like Abdullah Shafiq, Haider Ali and Khushdil Shah in upcoming T20Is

• Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah advised to play Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to prove fitness

Lahore, 19 October 2020:

Head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq today named 22 probables for the ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe, insisting he has opted for experience in the 50-over matches and provided extended run to the youngsters in the T20I format.

Pakistan have not played ODIs since the home series against Sri Lanka 12 months ago and the Rawalpindi matches will be part of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League from which the seven top-ranked sides, apart from hosts India, will qualify directly for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

For the Lahore T20Is, the selectors have preferred continuity and consistency, while acknowledging the just concluded National T20 Cup had provided some exciting talent, which will be considered for the Pakistan and Shaheens’ next month tour to New Zealand and early next year’s home T20Is.

The selectors have rewarded Central Punjab’s Abdullah Shafiq with a call-up after the 20-year-old former Pakistan U19 batsman finished as the seventh most successful batsman in the National T20 Cup with 358 runs with a strike-rate of over 133. Abdullah scored a century on his T20 debut, becoming only the second player in history to make a century on both first-class and T20 debuts.

Shoaib Malik, who was player of the final, has made way for Abdullah Shafiq, while Rohail Nazir has been named as Mohammad Rizwan’s back-up wicketkeeper. Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was part of the squad for the England tour, has been encouraged to feature in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, starting 25 October, so that he rediscovers better form ahead of the New Zealand tour.

Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah were not considered for selection as they are recovering from injuries, but have been advised to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to prove their fitness before they are considered for selection.

Probables:

Batsmen - Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Hafeez

Wicketkeepers - Mohammad Rizwan and Rohail Nazir

Spinners - Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir and Zafar Gohar

Fast bowlers - Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Musa Khan, Shaheen Shah and Wahab Riaz

Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq: “The National T20 Cup saw some outstanding individual performances.A few leading performers may feel disappointed that they have been unable to break into the squad. But, I want to reassure them that they will remain in consideration for the New Zealand tour and early next year’s home series. All they now need to do is to carry those impressive run of forms in the upcoming domestic competitions.

“Furthermore, the present T20I squad already comprises youngsters who have played very few matches. As such, it is logical and sensible that we give them the support and confidence by providing them extended runs so that they can show what they are capable of at the highest level and cement their places for future assignments.

“We have resisted the temptation of experimenting in the ODIs for three simple reasons. Firstly, we cannot afford to be complacent and have to respect each and every opponent irrespective of their strength or international ranking. Secondly, every ODI counts as it leads towards automatic qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, and thirdly, we have not played any ODI cricket in the past 12 months.

“Abdullah Shafiq has been rewarded for his tremendous potential and performance. He has been identified as a future prospect and, therefore, drafted into the squad as part of his development.

“Seniors like Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed have not been picked for this series, but I want to categorically state that their careers are not over by any means as performance remains the only criterion for selection. These are strategic decisions as Shoaib’s absence will provide players like Abdullah Shafiq, Haider Ali and Khushdil Shah better chances of featuring in the upcoming matches.

“We have followed the same philosophy while leaving out Mohammad Amir and Usman Shinwari so that bowlers like Mohammad Hasnain, Musa Khan and Haris Rauf can get an extended run.

“Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz provide us that useful experience in the batting and bowling respectively, that will benefit the youngsters.

“Similarly, not many will disagree that on present form, Mohammad Rizwan is the first-choice wicketkeeper in both the white-ball formats. With an eye on future and as part of the succession plan, Rohail Nazir has been chosen as Rizwan’s back-up wicketkeeper. Instead of Sarfaraz sitting on the substitute bench, it makes sense that he plays in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy so that he retains his fitness and rediscovers form for the tour for the longer and more demanding tour of New Zealand.”

The probables will assemble in Lahore on 21 October for Covid-19 testing and after observing a five-day isolation period, during which they will play two 50-over matches at the Gaddafi Stadium, will travel to Rawalpindi on Monday, 26 October.

The probables for three T20Is will be shortlisted after the ODIs and players unlikely to feature in them will be advised to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy third round matches, which will commence from 6 November.

Pakistan probables for ODIs and T20Is:

Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz and Zafar Gohar

Series schedule (ODIs to start 1200, T20Is to commence 1530):

30 Oct – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi.
1 Nov – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi.
3 Nov – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi.
7 Nov – 1st T20I, Lahore.
8 Nov – 2nd T20I, Lahore.
10 Nov – 3rd T20I, Lahore.

 

[ataullah]

Horrible with ifti, qadir, faheem and Abid

 

[Shafi]

Typical Misbah!!!! Abdullah Shafiq is just to save face. Misbah is even scare of Zimbabwe B team.

 

[shah_1]

Good selections

Zahid Mahmood deserved to be selected ahead of Usman Qadir

 

[Omer2002]

Abdullah should be playing one days not 2020s...clearly he will be class in oneday and test format..2020s can destroy him my opinion.

 

[shah_1]

Muhammad Hafeez?????

No wonder Malik was not his usual self in his last interview and even yesterday during MOM video he talked about being backed by Razzaq.

 

[shah_1]

Lol another one

No player from Karachi, Karachi media will be on fire today )

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Imad shahdab wahab rauf and shaheen , a very good t20 attack and 3 out of 5 can bat as well.

 

[Kaddy]

Lol another one

No player from Karachi, Karachi media will be on fire today )

Husnain is from Karachi.

 

[Shafi]

So no opportunity for Danish Aizaz? So other performers are missing like Azam Khan is better hitter than Rohail...

 

[Square Drive]

Very pleased. Finally Zafar is in.

Only guys I could've thought of are Zeeshan Malik, Maqsood (although he's on the wrong side of 30) and Aamer Yamin.

But almost every single name selected is on merit so I can't complain.

 

[Square Drive]

Rohail is a better long-term all-formats investment than Azam.

Danish had a good tournament but his overall stats are pathetic. Needs to keep it going to be selected.

 

[Square Drive]

Also, Shadab listed as VC in the OP!? I didn't see an official announcement anywhere but super exciting if true.

 

[ataullah]

Very pleased. Finally Zafar is in.

Only guys I could've thought of are Zeeshan Malik, Maqsood (although he's on the wrong side of 30) and Aamer Yamin.

But almost every single name selected is on merit so I can't complain.

Chacha ifti and faheem? Surely don't deserve place

 

[shah_1]

Husnain is from Karachi.

Hyderabad

 

[Mir jibran]

The best thing out of today's announcement is SHADAB KHAN appointed as Vice captain of white ball team

 

[KingOfPakBreakfast]

It's an ok squad. I was really wasn't expecting Zeeshan Malik, Danish Aziz or Azam Khan to be selected, I just hope they get taken to New Zealand with the Shaheens, along with Akif

 

[Mir jibran]

Will Mohammad hafeez play odis too since misbah said he has opted for experience in odi squad

 

[Faiz_Ahmad]

Where is Danish Aziz whereas Hafeez , Wahab against Zimbabwe ?? , this clown always thinks to save himself., always he goes for safe mode , Bufoon .

 

[trickyone]

Abid Ali and Chacha Ifti

 

[amvbfm]

An ok squad. It was an ideal opportunity to experiment and test our bench strength but considering who selected it, not very surprising.
Fahim and Usman definitely didn't deserve to get selected over Yamin, and Zahid. The selections of Iftikhar and Musa are also questionable but justifiable to an extent.

 

[Omer2002]

I know central punjab are playing on 25th i was hoping to watch abdullah shafiq there hope he plays the one days too

 

[Markhor]

That's an okay squad but selection of Musa yet again is disappointing. Yes he gives a wholehearted effort whenever he plays but he's too expensive.

Faheem Ashraf ahead of Aamer Yamin and Amad Butt is disappointing too. The rest are fine.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Some people will never be happy. However I think this list is very good as it is exactly the set of players we want to start fitting in.

Abdullah Shafiq, Zafar Gohar, Haris Rauf, Rohail Nazir, Haider Ali, and Khushdil Shah

That’s 6 youngsters who pretty much everyone can agree on, whether a fan of Misbah or not. They’re all pretty much debutants or at most played 1-2 games for the country. These players are looking to be the future stars of the Pakistan team, and were a cut above the rest in National T20 for their respective roles.

Further both Musa Khan and Usman Qadir have showed glimpses with the bat, which means if Shadab or Wahab are ever injured, it doesn’t hurt the balance of the side too much. Many might disagree with me here and say Zahid Mahmood (who actually, even I was personally calling for) and x pacer had a better tournament, but the differences were extremely marginal on pure bowling ability. Add in skill with the bat at 8 or 9, the aforementioned two take it.
Add in the fact that they were already in and out of the squad, so it’s good to persist with them.

Altogether that’s essentially 8 debutants in a 22-player squad, don’t know why people are complaining. I just hope he actually plays them when in the final XI against Zimbabwe...

One fact that might be missed is the fantastic opportunity they have given to Shadab as vice-captain! I don’t believe he was officially given this position before. They’re clearly seeing him as an up and coming leadership prospect in the Pakistan team and are most importantly actually grooming him, unlike so many captains in our past.

Finally, it is excellent to see that Malik, Amir, Sarfaraz have more or less been permanently dropped. That too after Malik’s man of the match in the final!

Anyway, here are my playing XI’s against Zimbabwe:

ODI Series
1. Haider Ali
2. Abdullah Shafiq
3. Babar Azam (c)
4. Haris Sohail
5. Khushdil Shah
6. Shadab Khan (vc)
7. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
8. Zafar Gohar
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Shaheen Afridi
11. Haris Rauf

T20 Series
1. Haider Ali
2. Abdullah Shafiq
3. Fakhar Zaman
4. Shadab Khan (vc)
5. Khushdil Shah
6. Iftikhar Ahmed
7. Babar Azam (c)
8. Usman Qadir
9. Mohammad Hasnain
10. Shaheen Afridi
11. Haris Rauf

 

[PakPremi]

Good squad except for Ifti and Faheem, how does Ifti keep getting selected with terrible performance in the recent Cup. Talat Hussain is far better batsman and also provides better bowling support.
Good to see Gohar and Qadir.

 

[Mueez]

Decent squad.

Would’ve loved to see Azam Khan in the side, however this should be his motivation to lose more weight.

Maybe Zeeshan should’ve been there too.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Good squad except for Ifti and Faheem, how does Ifti keep getting selected with terrible performance in the recent Cup. Talat Hussain is far better batsman and also provides better bowling support.
Good to see Gohar and Qadir.

Iftikhar was one of the top performers down the order for any side in the Cup. He has one of the highest strike rates as finisher. Go look through the statistics yourself. Sad to say but he deserves to be continued with especially with his part time abilities as offie.

Regarding Faheem, I think he is horrible, but the other pace-all rounders are not that better. Aamer Yamin is too old, Amad Butt hasn’t kicked on, so on so on.

 

[angrypathan]

Relatively decent squad by Misbah standards. No out of the blue recall of any grandpas, which is probably a first. Very happy to see Zafar Gohar finally make it to a squad again. I do hope that a lot of the newer players are actually played though and the likes of Shaheen and Hafeez are rested for most games.

 

[aloo paratha]

Wow I am pleasantly surprised.

 

[Theo_14]

So glad Misbah is stepping down as CS.

Why was Faheem Ashraf selected ahead of Aamer Yamin? Shaheen Shah should have been rested, he’s played a lot of cricket recently; would have been a good opportunity to try to out A. Javed instead.

Zahid has performed really well in the knock out stages - he deserved a chance.

Credit to Misbah for dropping Malik but he only really dropped one senior.

 

[deep82]

M Amir dropped as well?? End of road for him.

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Abdullah Shafiq in Pakistan probables for Zimbabwe series

• Misbah says Pakistan will not experiment in ODIs as every match counts for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 direct qualification, his side will play ODIs for the first time in 12 months, and every opponent needs to be respected irrespective of their international ranking

• The chief selector and head coach wants to give consistent and extended run to his young T20 squad

• “Sarfaraz Ahmed is encouraged to play in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to remain in contention for New Zealand tour as Rizwan remains our first choice on current form,” says Misbah

• Shoaib Malik left out to give better chances to players like Abdullah Shafiq, Haider Ali and Khushdil Shah in upcoming T20Is

• Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah advised to play Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to prove fitness

Lahore, 19 October 2020:

Head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq today named 22 probables for the ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe, insisting he has opted for experience in the 50-over matches and provided extended run to the youngsters in the T20I format.

Pakistan have not played ODIs since the home series against Sri Lanka 12 months ago and the Rawalpindi matches will be part of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League from which the seven top-ranked sides, apart from hosts India, will qualify directly for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

For the Lahore T20Is, the selectors have preferred continuity and consistency, while acknowledging the just concluded National T20 Cup had provided some exciting talent, which will be considered for the Pakistan and Shaheens’ next month tour to New Zealand and early next year’s home T20Is.

The selectors have rewarded Central Punjab’s Abdullah Shafiq with a call-up after the 20-year-old former Pakistan U19 batsman finished as the seventh most successful batsman in the National T20 Cup with 358 runs with a strike-rate of over 133. Abdullah scored a century on his T20 debut, becoming only the second player in history to make a century on both first-class and T20 debuts.

Shoaib Malik, who was player of the final, has made way for Abdullah Shafiq, while Rohail Nazir has been named as Mohammad Rizwan’s back-up wicketkeeper. Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was part of the squad for the England tour, has been encouraged to feature in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, starting 25 October, so that he rediscovers better form ahead of the New Zealand tour.

Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah were not considered for selection as they are recovering from injuries, but have been advised to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to prove their fitness before they are considered for selection.

Probables:

Batsmen - Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Hafeez

Wicketkeepers - Mohammad Rizwan and Rohail Nazir

Spinners - Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir and Zafar Gohar

Fast bowlers - Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Musa Khan, Shaheen Shah and Wahab Riaz

Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq: “The National T20 Cup saw some outstanding individual performances.A few leading performers may feel disappointed that they have been unable to break into the squad. But, I want to reassure them that they will remain in consideration for the New Zealand tour and early next year’s home series. All they now need to do is to carry those impressive run of forms in the upcoming domestic competitions.

“Furthermore, the present T20I squad already comprises youngsters who have played very few matches. As such, it is logical and sensible that we give them the support and confidence by providing them extended runs so that they can show what they are capable of at the highest level and cement their places for future assignments.

“We have resisted the temptation of experimenting in the ODIs for three simple reasons. Firstly, we cannot afford to be complacent and have to respect each and every opponent irrespective of their strength or international ranking. Secondly, every ODI counts as it leads towards automatic qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, and thirdly, we have not played any ODI cricket in the past 12 months.

“Abdullah Shafiq has been rewarded for his tremendous potential and performance. He has been identified as a future prospect and, therefore, drafted into the squad as part of his development.

“Seniors like Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed have not been picked for this series, but I want to categorically state that their careers are not over by any means as performance remains the only criterion for selection. These are strategic decisions as Shoaib’s absence will provide players like Abdullah Shafiq, Haider Ali and Khushdil Shah better chances of featuring in the upcoming matches.

“We have followed the same philosophy while leaving out Mohammad Amir and Usman Shinwari so that bowlers like Mohammad Hasnain, Musa Khan and Haris Rauf can get an extended run.

“Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz provide us that useful experience in the batting and bowling respectively, that will benefit the youngsters.

“Similarly, not many will disagree that on present form, Mohammad Rizwan is the first-choice wicketkeeper in both the white-ball formats. With an eye on future and as part of the succession plan, Rohail Nazir has been chosen as Rizwan’s back-up wicketkeeper. Instead of Sarfaraz sitting on the substitute bench, it makes sense that he plays in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy so that he retains his fitness and rediscovers form for the tour for the longer and more demanding tour of New Zealand.”

The probables will assemble in Lahore on 21 October for Covid-19 testing and after observing a five-day isolation period, during which they will play two 50-over matches at the Gaddafi Stadium, will travel to Rawalpindi on Monday, 26 October.

The probables for three T20Is will be shortlisted after the ODIs and players unlikely to feature in them will be advised to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy third round matches, which will commence from 6 November.

Pakistan probables for ODIs and T20Is:

Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz and Zafar Gohar

Series schedule (ODIs to start 1200, T20Is to commence 1530):

30 Oct – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi.
1 Nov – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi.
3 Nov – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi.
7 Nov – 1st T20I, Lahore.
8 Nov – 2nd T20I, Lahore.
10 Nov – 3rd T20I, Lahore.

This really is poor from Misbah and a minnow mentality. No disrespect to Zim, but if Pakistan newcomers and domestic talent cannot overpower Zimbabwe, then there is something seriously wrong with domestic cricket then.

Such series should always be used to try out new talent, at least 3-4 such players. That means no Hafeez, give rest to Shaheen.

 

[KingOfPakBreakfast]

That's an okay squad but selection of Musa yet again is disappointing. Yes he gives a wholehearted effort whenever he plays but he's too expensive.

Faheem Ashraf ahead of Aamer Yamin and Amad Butt is disappointing too. The rest are fine.

Mate, I tend to mirror your opinions most times, but on recent evidence Amad Butt is nowhere near national team level ATM.

Faheem over Yamin is a toss up, but the only benefit Faheem can give u is a full four overs. Yamin is good for two powerplay overs and then a calamity. And I'm absolutely no Faheem fan.

Musa demonstrated improved bowling in the national T20, and hopefully, at least in the T20 sphere, he can keep progressing, with (theoretically) higher level coaching at national level.

 

[zain7077]

So glad Misbah is stepping down as CS.

Why was Faheem Ashraf selected ahead of Aamer Yamin? Shaheen Shah should have been rested, he’s played a lot of cricket recently; would have been a good opportunity to try to out A. Javed instead.

Zahid has performed really well in the knock out stages - he deserved a chance.

Credit to Misbah for dropping Malik but he only really dropped one senior.

Akif is injured. The only player missing who should have been in the ODI squad is Saud.

 

[Mirpur express]

Misbah just can’t leave out chacha Ifti lmao

 

[Mirpur express]

Few more youngsters should’ve been in but Misbah can’t experiment with the mighty Zimbabweans

 

[KingOfPakBreakfast]

Some people will never be happy. However I think this list is very good as it is exactly the set of players we want to start fitting in.

Abdullah Shafiq, Zafar Gohar, Haris Rauf, Rohail Nazir, Haider Ali, and Khushdil

Anyway, here are my playing XI’s against Zimbabwe:

ODI Series
1. Haider Ali
2. Abdullah Shafiq
3. Babar Azam (c)
4. Haris Sohail
5. Khushdil Shah
6. Shadab Khan (vc)
7. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
8. Zafar Gohar
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Shaheen Afridi
11. Haris Rauf

T20 Series
1. Haider Ali
2. Abdullah Shafiq
3. Fakhar Zaman
4. Shadab Khan (vc)
5. Khushdil Shah
6. Iftikhar Ahmed
7. Babar Azam (c)
8. Usman Qadir
9. Mohammad Hasnain
10. Shaheen Afridi
11. Haris Rauf

Brother, curious about your T20 line up. I'm assuming Babar is keeping, or will it be Shadab between bowling stints

I think it would have been interesting to supplement the squad with an aggressive alternative opener. Currently it's like we have restriction of one aggressive opener per squad. And Imam ain't it, based purely on his strike rate in his first 15 balls. Seeing a Zeeshan Malik would have provider a signal if intent. Oh well

 

[samiakh]

Misbah is a horrible selector. Hasnain and Musa have done nothing to deserve a place in the side. Faheem is worthless, zahid mehmood was better than Usman Qadir. Azam Khan and Hussain Talat should be in the T20 side.

Musa must have some dirt on Misbah and Waqar. Ilyas, Akif, Ahmed Bashir all better than Musa.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Brother, curious about your T20 line up. I'm assuming Babar is keeping, or will it be Shadab between bowling stints

I think it would have been interesting to supplement the squad with an aggressive alternative opener. Currently it's like we have restriction of one aggressive opener per squad. And Imam ain't it, based purely on his strike rate in his first 15 balls. Seeing a Zeeshan Malik would have provider a signal if intent. Oh well

Sorry, I meant Rizwan instead of Ifti I think my brain is going the Misbah way on that.

Regarding the opener, Zeeshan Malik was a bit hacky in the T20 cup, I liked him but he doesn’t exactly stand a class apart. Also, Fakhar is in the side and if he shows more consistency than Imam, he can potentially be the second aggressive opener alongside Haider.

I would hands down take Fakhar over Zeeshan etc, despite my recent criticism of Fakhar.

 

[JibranAnsari]

Good names for a change , dont think anyone deserving has been left out.

 

[asadee]

Surprise surprise no Danish Aziz. He will have an uphill battle in this regional bias set up

 

[maanleo]

I was not able to see all matches of National T20 tournament, but didn't Zahid and Aamer Yamin from South Punjab deserve selection ahead of Faheem Ashraf and Usman Qadir?

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Misbah: we were also looking at Azam Khan, Sharjeel, Zeeshan Ashraf who performed but whose fitness was not up to the mark. I have given recommendations to the National High Performance Center to set up an intensive program to work with them on this.

Later he also mentioned: we aim to give Haider and Abdullah a consistent run and we also want to follow the process, so they will both be given a run against New Zealand A for the Pakistan Shaheens.

 

[naseem]

Decent one......bhaiyo it's Pak cricket after all.....sab eksath accha nahi ho sakta... But overall very good squad.....glad that Malik Sarfi ignored.....Azam need more first class to develop his game.....Danish Aziz could have been tried....but he will get his chances

 

[naseem]

I was not able to see all matches of National T20 tournament, but didn't Zahid and Aamer Yamin from South Punjab deserve selection ahead of Faheem Ashraf and Usman Qadir?

Actually the phainty Yamin got in the death overs pour water to his efforts

 

[moghul]

Why we need Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Ifti, Faheem, time to move on from these useless players, enough.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Regarding a question about Zeeshan Malik and Danish Aziz: there have been a lot of youngsters who have showed glimpses of their talent in just one tournament. We hope to give youngsters such as these a chance with the Pakistan Shaheens in the T20s against New Zealand A, and if they perform there then take them one step higher. Hussain Talat is another person who did well, among many other youngsters. What they should do is they have been given a set of fitness and fielding standards they need to work on and meet to come into the Pakistan team, and they should work on this as well to be at the international standard even before selection. Our efforts are to prepare them, and it is their own responsibility as well to bring themselves to that level and represent the National Team.

 

[TrentDevil]

Faheem ahead of Yamin is a horrible selection, could've selected both of them if Misbah didn't want to drop his ladla Faheem.

Zahid is currently best leg-spinner in Pak(LOs) his continuous non-selection baffles me & when I see Usman playing ahead of him, it's even more frustrating.

Rest are all pretty good selections based on merit but imo Hafeez & Wahab have no business playing against Zimbabwe. Abid shouldn't have been selected & instead asked to play FC, could get 3-4 FC games under his belt in the same time which would've been useful for his preparation for NZ tour

 

[Artaxerxes]

This is a decent squad except Ifti,Faheem and Musa.

 

[TrentDevil]

Regarding a question about Zeeshan Malik and Danish Aziz: there have been a lot of youngsters who have showed glimpses of their talent in just one tournament. We hope to give youngsters such as these a chance with the Pakistan Shaheens in the T20s against New Zealand A, and if they perform there then take them one step higher. Hussain Talat is another person who did well, among many other youngsters. What they should do is they have been given a set of fitness and fielding standards they need to work on and meet to come into the Pakistan team, and they should work on this as well to be at the international standard even before selection. Our efforts are to prepare them, and it is their own responsibility as well to bring themselves to that level and represent the National Team.

Lol, he clearly doesn't know anything about Zeeshan Malik to say something like 'there have been a lot of youngsters who have showed glimpses of their talent in just one tournament'.

Has probably seen him batting for the First time

 

[PakPremi]

Iftikhar was one of the top performers down the order for any side in the Cup. He has one of the highest strike rates as finisher. Go look through the statistics yourself. Sad to say but he deserves to be continued with especially with his part time abilities as offie.

Regarding Faheem, I think he is horrible, but the other pace-all rounders are not that better. Aamer Yamin is too old, Amad Butt hasn’t kicked on, so on so on.

Performing at domestic level is one thing, though he flopped in this tournament, he has been terrible at international level except for one or two innings down under despite given ample opportunities at all formats. He is another Asif ALI. Pak have plenty spin bowlers of his level in the team and medium pace all rounder would be more useful.

 

[Ertugrul_Bey]

One gotta feel for Hussian Talat and Amir Yamin. I don’t know what Usman Qadir and Fahem Ashraf have done to get a spot ahead of these two. Can’t wait for Misbah to be gone from PCB setup.

 

[Loralai]

Why do Hafeez, Babar, Fakhar, Wahab etc need to be included against Zimbabwe? I would rather see younger players like Danish Aziz given a fair opportunity.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Good squad. Fahim, Iftikhar and Imam(in t20is) selections, are a downers.
Fahim has been given enough chances and he hasn't taken them. Would have preferred Amad Butt over him against a weak opposition.
Iftikhar is fine as per stats and performance, but i just don't like him.

I feel like Fahim will be the Asad Shafiq of the LOI team. Never going away even with doing very little.

 

[naseem]

Why we need Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Ifti, Faheem, time to move on from these useless players, enough.

Their time will come....btw Sohail is a class player

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Why do Hafeez, Babar, Fakhar, Wahab etc need to be included against Zimbabwe? I would rather see younger players like Danish Aziz given a fair opportunity.

Babar wants seniors in his team. He fought for Hafeez and Malik's inclusion in SL series. So it's good they have negotiated to include just one of them.
Babar is extremely inexperienced as captain, and his tactics are always found lacking, so he needs as much experience as possible.
Wahab has obviously been picked for experience although I feel Shaheen can lead the attack on his own.
Well they have picked Imam and Abid as the other openers, Fakhar I feel is better than them atleast.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Perfect opportunity to rest Naseem and shaheen

Shaheen is being overused and he will break into injury when they badly need him , say when touring SENA conditions.

Ok Squad with the batting Front

Would have liked to see zeeshan Malik but nevertheless he is not that good.

Rohail Nasir and Abdullah Shafiq are very good selection.

Hasnain was struggling in this tournament to keep line and length. Wayward bowling from him and again Musa Khan. But I’m ok to have them as newbies against zimboks. Wahab riaz and shaheen why u need these two for experience. Shinwari, Yamin, Amad, Sameen gul, Ehsan adil and Mir hamza shoulD have been selected

 

[coy0607]

Solid selection. Only questionable selection to me is Usman Qadir

And the batsmen selected are still overall very old for a tour against Zimbabwe - out of the 10 selected, 5 are 30+ (Hafeez, Ifti, Abid, Haris, Fakhar). Not sure Ifthikar was needed given his recent performances, and Khusdil, Faheem, Imad can play the role Ifthikar usually does

 

[GreenKhan]

To many moan bags. It’s a good squad with new names and some structure of future planning . What else do we want?

On a man to man basis we can argue one over the other but on the whole on potential it’s a good bunch .

 

[Titan24]

Rest is decent to an extent but, not sure about Abid Ali in the probables? Yes he scored a 100 and a 50 in 4 ODI matches but he is 33 and there are quite a few options available in that role. So not sure of the point of selecting him against Zim. He is going to be on bench for most matches.

Ok fair enough they didnt want to select some young players on the basis of just one tournament but what about Hussain Talat or Aamir Yamin? They have already debuted for Pakistan and could have provided an opportunity to test few other combinations.

 

[Hasan123]

First time Misbah has selected a decent squad. Not sure about the selections of Qadir, Abid, and Iftikhar but there are always going to be complaints with any squad.

Now let's see if Misbah selects a good 11.

 

[Ucdkee]

Where the hell is Hussain Talat?

 

[Markhor]

Misbah: we were also looking at Azam Khan, Sharjeel, Zeeshan Ashraf who performed but whose fitness was not up to the mark. I have given recommendations to the National High Performance Center to set up an intensive program to work with them on this.

Later he also mentioned: we aim to give Haider and Abdullah a consistent run and we also want to follow the process, so they will both be given a run against New Zealand A for the Pakistan Shaheens.

Thank god Misbah finally making good decisions.

I agree there should be zero tolerance on fitness. Sharjeel looks like a sumo wrestler for god sakes. And Abdullah and Haider definitely should be playing against New Zealand A to test their technique in seaming conditions.

 

[trickyone]

Where the hell is Hussain Talat?

He got over shadowed by Khusdil but he should have been selected as well...

 

[Glen Durrant fan]

Some of those picks are horrible. I would have went full strength on both to try and help the side gell earlier and done it like this.

ODI:
Fakhar Zaman - Not convinced he is an ODI failure. Bordering on last chance.
Imam-ul-Haq - Very, very solid ODI pick. His new hitting ability will help him as he gets in the 80s too.
Babar Azam (C)
Haris Sohail
Mohammad Rizwan (W)
Khushdil Shah - Most destructive finisher in the nation, backed up by Shadab and Imad so no pressure.
Shadab Khan
Imad Wasim - I still think he has something to offer in ODIs although a four man pace with Rauf is tasty.
Wahab Riaz - Still like him.
Mohammad Amir - Anyone who says Amir isn't world class is silly. All the players know.
Shaheen Afridi - Best bowler in the country.

Bench:
Abid Ali - He's done well every time he's given a chance, excellent back-up to Imam.
Haider Ali - Too far down at five and behind Haris in the pecking order. Potential opener over Fakhar.
Sarfaraz Ahmed (W) - I think the ODI keepers should be in this vein.
Faheem Ashraf - I like Faheem in ODI cricket.
Zafar Gohar - He's done enough. Good alternative to Imad.
Haris Rauf - So close to being in the first XI.
Mohammad Musa - Musa opening in an ODI would be tricky. He's all in or all out and ODIs suit that.

T20I:

Babar Azam (C)
Kamran Akmal (W) - After all his performances over the last five years, he deserves one last chance.
Haider Ali - Not just hype, he's solid.
Mohammad Hafeez - Anyone who says the Prof shouldn't be in hasn't been watching him.
Shadab Khan - Shadab up at five so six bowlers, bat down to nine. Islamabad United 2018 style.
Khushdil Shah - Best finisher.
Faheem Ashraf - Another finisher and will deliver two if he's off, four if he's on. Him or Yamin to get in.
Imad Wasim - Very under-rated as a new ball bowler and all-rounder.
Wahab Riaz - Not sure what to make of his form but worth the inclusion.
Mohammad Amir - Same as description for ODI.
Shaheen Afridi - Best bowler right now.

Bench:

Sharjeel Khan - I see the pitfalls, but I also see the benefits. Most people only see one or the other.
Zeeshan Ashraf (W) - The best future keeper, could bat as an opener or at three.
Shoaib Malik - We need someone just in case there's a disaster at the top. No-one in the world is better than Shoaib. Additionally, he is an under-rated finisher.
Aamer Yamin - Him or Faheem to get in the side.
Sohail Tanvir - Most under-rated player I've ever seen. Too crafty and difficult to leave out completely.
Haris Rauf - Extremely close to making the cut. Could come in for Faheem if Wahab could bat at eight.
Zahid Mahmood or Usman Qadir - Not convinced by either but I don't see any other alternatives.
Umar Gul / Imran Khan Jr - Kidding

Fakhar was extremely close to the T20I side and Rizwan is hard to leave out although he'd ruin my balance. Khushdil should be keeping in domestic games so we can see if that's an option.

Abdullah Shafique is fantastic but you can't pick a player, especially a batsman, so soon. He has to have at least played in the PSL so we can see what his temprament, bottle and match awareness is like. Not disappointed at the selection though.

 

[Titan24]

ODI Series

1. Haider Ali
2. Abdullah Shafiq
3. Babar Azam (c)
4. Haris Sohail
5. Khushdil Shah
6. Shadab Khan (vc)
7. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
8. Zafar Gohar
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Shaheen Afridi
11. Haris Rauf

Good XI but I will play Imam as well. He is 24 and one of our better young players as his ODI numbers show. I will probably rest Fakhar and Haris at one point in the ODI series as there are 30 and we know their capabilities so they will be better option to rest and test bench strength than a young guy like Imam in my opinion.

Though I must admit our ODI top 5 is pretty settled with Fakhar, Imam, Babar, Haris and Rizwan so young guys will have to do extremely well to dislodge anyone but its surely good to have decent batting bench strength consisting of young players which we rarely have.

 

[the Great Khan]

I cant people want Azam khan in the squad. Can he even get onto the team bus for goodness sake? Same with Sharjeel. its quite clear that Misbah wants them to get fit. you just cant have giant obese players like this representing your national side. Its just embarrassing.

Coming onto the squad. i count 11 youngsters, incl Imam and shaheen who are not old at all. What are people complaining about? do you want a team full of 16 year olds? Having ifti in the side offers us some balance in t20's as he can bowl a bit and can hit a long ball. he's having some form issues but he is a solid professional. (not my fav by any stretch but I can understand the logic). Wahab and Hafeez are the two seniors who can offer their expertise to the youngsters and Hafeez seems to be revelling in this team.
Its T20 so they can easily contribute till the next world cup. Faheem needs support. he has real talent and I just think he needs some help and encouragement. If we cna get an in form faheem we can solve quite a few of our problems.

Coming onto Musa. I think he has talent but boy does he get smacked around..I'm not sure how long he can last in international cricket if he doesnt find a niche..

overall i think this squad is pretty good.

 

[Ab Fan]

This should be the team:-

1. Haider Ali
2. Fakhar Zaman
3. Babar Azam (c)
4. Haris Sohail
5. Mohammad Hafeez 3.0
6. Shadab Khan (vc)
7. Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
8. Mohammad Amir
9. Wahab Riaz
10. Shaheen Afridi
11. Haris Rauf

 

[StreetSmart]

As usual coward approach from Misbah,

Faheem and ifti? on what basis they were selected?

Chalo Faheem accepted but why IFTIKHAR he is not in form he had worst National T20 Danish Aziz could have been a better choice.

Inzi was much better selector than this coward man.

 

[StreetSmart]

Who ever is saying Why Azam kha and Amir were not included. Azam's fitness is clearly not upto the mark, way overweight according to international standards. For Amir, I think its time to move on because Misbah is not going to let him make a comeback.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Misbah is a horrible selector. Hasnain and Musa have done nothing to deserve a place in the side. Faheem is worthless, zahid mehmood was better than Usman Qadir. Azam Khan and Hussain Talat should be in the T20 side.

Musa must have some dirt on Misbah and Waqar. Ilyas, Akif, Ahmed Bashir all better than Musa.

Is Usman Qadir in because of Babar Adams cousin quota

 

[Thunderbolt14]

Who ever is saying Why Azam kha and Amir were not included. Azam's fitness is clearly not upto the mark, way overweight according to international standards. For Amir, I think its time to move on because Misbah is not going to let him make a comeback.

Maybe if Amir took more than 6 wickets in 7 domestic T20 games, he’d make a better case for being in an international T20 game. That too in a series against Zimbabwe where he really shouldn’t be playing anyways

 

[Glen Durrant fan]

Some of those picks are horrible. I would have went full strength on both to try and help the side gell earlier and done it like this.

ODI:
Fakhar Zaman - Not convinced he is an ODI failure. Bordering on last chance.
Imam-ul-Haq - Very, very solid ODI pick. His new hitting ability will help him as he gets in the 80s too.
Babar Azam (C)
Haris Sohail
Mohammad Rizwan (W)
Khushdil Shah - Most destructive finisher in the nation, backed up by Shadab and Imad so no pressure.
Shadab Khan
Imad Wasim - I still think he has something to offer in ODIs although a four man pace with Rauf is tasty.
Wahab Riaz - Still like him.
Mohammad Amir - Anyone who says Amir isn't world class is silly. All the players know.
Shaheen Afridi - Best bowler in the country.

Bench:
Abid Ali - He's done well every time he's given a chance, excellent back-up to Imam.
Haider Ali - Too far down at five and behind Haris in the pecking order. Potential opener over Fakhar.
Sarfaraz Ahmed (W) - I think the ODI keepers should be in this vein.
Faheem Ashraf - I like Faheem in ODI cricket.
Zafar Gohar - He's done enough. Good alternative to Imad.
Haris Rauf - So close to being in the first XI.
Mohammad Musa - Musa opening in an ODI would be tricky. He's all in or all out and ODIs suit that.

T20I:

Babar Azam (C)
Kamran Akmal (W) - After all his performances over the last five years, he deserves one last chance.
Haider Ali - Not just hype, he's solid.
Mohammad Hafeez - Anyone who says the Prof shouldn't be in hasn't been watching him.
Shadab Khan - Shadab up at five so six bowlers, bat down to nine. Islamabad United 2018 style.
Khushdil Shah - Best finisher.
Faheem Ashraf - Another finisher and will deliver two if he's off, four if he's on. Him or Yamin to get in.
Imad Wasim - Very under-rated as a new ball bowler and all-rounder.
Wahab Riaz - Not sure what to make of his form but worth the inclusion.
Mohammad Amir - Same as description for ODI.
Shaheen Afridi - Best bowler right now.

Bench:

Sharjeel Khan - I see the pitfalls, but I also see the benefits. Most people only see one or the other.
Zeeshan Ashraf (W) - The best future keeper, could bat as an opener or at three.
Shoaib Malik - We need someone just in case there's a disaster at the top. No-one in the world is better than Shoaib. Additionally, he is an under-rated finisher.
Aamer Yamin - Him or Faheem to get in the side.
Sohail Tanvir - Most under-rated player I've ever seen. Too crafty and difficult to leave out completely.
Haris Rauf - Extremely close to making the cut. Could come in for Faheem if Wahab could bat at eight.
Zahid Mahmood or Usman Qadir - Not convinced by either but I don't see any other alternatives.
Umar Gul / Imran Khan Jr - Kidding

Fakhar was extremely close to the T20I side and Rizwan is hard to leave out although he'd ruin my balance. Khushdil should be keeping in domestic games so we can see if that's an option.

Abdullah Shafique is fantastic but you can't pick a player, especially a batsman, so soon. He has to have at least played in the PSL so we can see what his temprament, bottle and match awareness is like. Not disappointed at the selection though.

Typo: '...and help the side GEL earlier and done it like this.'

 

[Savak]

Shaheen should have been rested, he is already playing in all formats and he will gain nothing by playing against Zimbabwe. I hope they rest him in this series

 

[SARJ_BD]

T20:

1. Fakhar
2. Haider Ali
3. Abdullah Shafiq
4. Shadab K
5. Kashif Bhatti
6. M Rizwan
7. Babar Azam (only to captain the squad)
8. Wahab (old ball)
9. Musa K (old ball)
10. Haris Rauf (new ball)
11. Shaheen Afridi (new ball)

 

[ads101]

ODIS:
1. Imam
2. Rizwan
3. Haider Ali
4. Abdullah Shafique
5. Babar
6. Haris Sohail
7. Imad
8. Shadab
9. Shaheen
10. Rauf
11. Riaz

In T20s same XI, but Fakhar in for Haris, let him play at 6. No point of playing Hafeez, but if he has to play he takes Fakhar's T20 spot and plays at 6. Imam needs to learn experience at playing fast given he's our most promising opener, and T20s is the way to do it. Babar and Haris can bat down to give everyone else the opportunity to bat they don't need to pad their stats against Zimbabwe, let them just be the rescue if things go wrong.

 

[mahmed]

Poor Selection

Abdullah Shafiq in Pakistan probables for Zimbabwe series

• Misbah says Pakistan will not experiment in ODIs as every match counts for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 direct qualification, his side will play ODIs for the first time in 12 months, and every opponent needs to be respected irrespective of their international ranking

• The chief selector and head coach wants to give consistent and extended run to his young T20 squad

• “Sarfaraz Ahmed is encouraged to play in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to remain in contention for New Zealand tour as Rizwan remains our first choice on current form,” says Misbah

• Shoaib Malik left out to give better chances to players like Abdullah Shafiq, Haider Ali and Khushdil Shah in upcoming T20Is

• Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah advised to play Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to prove fitness

Lahore, 19 October 2020:

Head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq today named 22 probables for the ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe, insisting he has opted for experience in the 50-over matches and provided extended run to the youngsters in the T20I format.

Pakistan have not played ODIs since the home series against Sri Lanka 12 months ago and the Rawalpindi matches will be part of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League from which the seven top-ranked sides, apart from hosts India, will qualify directly for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

For the Lahore T20Is, the selectors have preferred continuity and consistency, while acknowledging the just concluded National T20 Cup had provided some exciting talent, which will be considered for the Pakistan and Shaheens’ next month tour to New Zealand and early next year’s home T20Is.

The selectors have rewarded Central Punjab’s Abdullah Shafiq with a call-up after the 20-year-old former Pakistan U19 batsman finished as the seventh most successful batsman in the National T20 Cup with 358 runs with a strike-rate of over 133. Abdullah scored a century on his T20 debut, becoming only the second player in history to make a century on both first-class and T20 debuts.

Shoaib Malik, who was player of the final, has made way for Abdullah Shafiq, while Rohail Nazir has been named as Mohammad Rizwan’s back-up wicketkeeper. Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was part of the squad for the England tour, has been encouraged to feature in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, starting 25 October, so that he rediscovers better form ahead of the New Zealand tour.

Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah were not considered for selection as they are recovering from injuries, but have been advised to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to prove their fitness before they are considered for selection.

Probables:

Batsmen - Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Hafeez

Wicketkeepers - Mohammad Rizwan and Rohail Nazir

Spinners - Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir and Zafar Gohar

Fast bowlers - Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Musa Khan, Shaheen Shah and Wahab Riaz

Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq: “The National T20 Cup saw some outstanding individual performances.A few leading performers may feel disappointed that they have been unable to break into the squad. But, I want to reassure them that they will remain in consideration for the New Zealand tour and early next year’s home series. All they now need to do is to carry those impressive run of forms in the upcoming domestic competitions.

“Furthermore, the present T20I squad already comprises youngsters who have played very few matches. As such, it is logical and sensible that we give them the support and confidence by providing them extended runs so that they can show what they are capable of at the highest level and cement their places for future assignments.

“We have resisted the temptation of experimenting in the ODIs for three simple reasons. Firstly, we cannot afford to be complacent and have to respect each and every opponent irrespective of their strength or international ranking. Secondly, every ODI counts as it leads towards automatic qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, and thirdly, we have not played any ODI cricket in the past 12 months.

“Abdullah Shafiq has been rewarded for his tremendous potential and performance. He has been identified as a future prospect and, therefore, drafted into the squad as part of his development.

“Seniors like Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed have not been picked for this series, but I want to categorically state that their careers are not over by any means as performance remains the only criterion for selection. These are strategic decisions as Shoaib’s absence will provide players like Abdullah Shafiq, Haider Ali and Khushdil Shah better chances of featuring in the upcoming matches.

“We have followed the same philosophy while leaving out Mohammad Amir and Usman Shinwari so that bowlers like Mohammad Hasnain, Musa Khan and Haris Rauf can get an extended run.

“Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz provide us that useful experience in the batting and bowling respectively, that will benefit the youngsters.

“Similarly, not many will disagree that on present form, Mohammad Rizwan is the first-choice wicketkeeper in both the white-ball formats. With an eye on future and as part of the succession plan, Rohail Nazir has been chosen as Rizwan’s back-up wicketkeeper. Instead of Sarfaraz sitting on the substitute bench, it makes sense that he plays in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy so that he retains his fitness and rediscovers form for the tour for the longer and more demanding tour of New Zealand.”

The probables will assemble in Lahore on 21 October for Covid-19 testing and after observing a five-day isolation period, during which they will play two 50-over matches at the Gaddafi Stadium, will travel to Rawalpindi on Monday, 26 October.

The probables for three T20Is will be shortlisted after the ODIs and players unlikely to feature in them will be advised to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy third round matches, which will commence from 6 November.

Pakistan probables for ODIs and T20Is:

Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz and Zafar Gohar

Series schedule (ODIs to start 1200, T20Is to commence 1530):

30 Oct – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi.
1 Nov – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi.
3 Nov – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi.
7 Nov – 1st T20I, Lahore.
8 Nov – 2nd T20I, Lahore.
10 Nov – 3rd T20I, Lahore.

- There is no justification to select Iftikhar and Abid Ali, what have they done in just conclude National T20 tournment.
- I would have choosen Hussain Talat and Danish Aziz in place of Ifti and Abid.
- I would have choosen Zeeshan Malik and Amad Butt in place of Hafeez and Wahab.
-I would have preferred Zahid Mahmood in place of Usman Qadir

 

[HappyWarsFan]

ODIS:
1. Imam
2. Rizwan
3. Haider Ali
4. Abdullah Shafique
5. Babar
6. Haris Sohail
7. Imad
8. Shadab
9. Shaheen
10. Rauf
11. Riaz

In T20s same XI, but Fakhar in for Haris, let him play at 6. No point of playing Hafeez, but if he has to play he takes Fakhar's T20 spot and plays at 6. Imam needs to learn experience at playing fast given he's our most promising opener, and T20s is the way to do it. Babar and Haris can bat down to give everyone else the opportunity to bat they don't need to pad their stats against Zimbabwe, let them just be the rescue if things go wrong.

I would rather we let Zafar play instead of Imad. Next world cup is in India and we need to a groom a quality spinner like him for all formats.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

Not a bad squad actual. Abdullah Shafiq should be given chances, and especially Zafar has to play all the games.

Musa, Hasnain, Faheem are bad selections though.

 

[aloo paratha]

ODI XI:

Haider
Fakhar
Babar
Abdullah/Haris
Rizwan
Khushdil
Shadab
Imad/Gohar (hopefully Zafar gets a chance in at least one game)
Shaheen
Haris Rauf
Hasnain/Musa

T20 XI

Fakhar
Babar
Haider
Hafeez/Abdullah
Shadab
Khushdil
Imad/Gohar
Rizwan
Haris Rauf
Musa
Hasnain