What is the greatest selection masterstroke the PCB has ever made?

[msb314]

So we all know about the selection blunders the PCB makes on a regular basis but what about the occasions when they made a gem out of a selection?

A few examples:
- recalling Misbah and YK and MoHafeez for the 2010 SAF tour
- Haris Sohail being selected and played in the 2014 NZ tour
- Misbah being selected for the 2007 World T20
- Shoaib Malik being recalled for the 2015 Zimbabwe tour
- Fakhar being selected for the 2017 CT Group Stage game vs SAF

Any others?

 

[CricketDon]

Selecting rehman as a spinner right before the Akmal chucking delcine. He naturally took over. Also his introduction to the side and Ajmal and rehman bowling together was a treat

 

[Usman]

Without doubt Ijaz Butt's masterstroke of plucking Misbah-ul-haq out of complete obscurity at age 36 and making him captain of Pakistan. He wasn't even in the team and averaged 30. This was immediately after the spot fixing scandal where Pakistan needed Misbah more than any of us could ever have imagined.

The decision was so wacky it was genius.

 

[Rana]

Misbah Ul Haq world T20 selection 2007

What a find, the legend was born!

 

[MMHS]

Tough to tell - I'll take the 18 years old boy picked from family connection to accompany his cousin in UK for 1971 summer. It ended differently on & off the field. May be Wasim as well. In recent times, has to be Amir, but he ruined it himself.

I don't find any master stroke in Misbah's return - after fixing scandal PCB wanted a clean figure to restore some dignity within cricket community, brought back a guy who wasn't even in squad. Otherwise, any given day I would have taken YK as the Captain in 2010 and give him full authority - result won't have been worse.

 

[PakSarZameen]

Sending a 16 year old nobody to pinch hit in a must win game against Sri Lanka in 1996.

Ends up scoring the fastest century ever.

 

[Rayyman]

Making Sarfraz captain

 

[sully3]

shadab being given a chance in PSL was a masterstrone

 

[Cric1234]

Has to be Malik being recalled vs Zimbabwe in 2015 without his greatness wins against Zimbabwe would have been a real struggle.

 

[Cric1234]

Sending a 16 year old nobody to pinch hit in a must win game against Sri Lanka in 1996.

Ends up scoring the fastest century ever.

Initially yes but a career of 20 years was made due to this with flashes of brilliance but mostly mediocre performances.

 

[Rana]

I think Hafeez’s recall to the ODI side in 2010 also was actually a great decision. Hafeez post 2010 has been very influential in many games with the bat and the ball.

He will eventually retire as a player that could have been so much more than what he achieved, but he came back so strong after his initial failed attempts

 

[SensiblePakFan]

I think Hafeez’s recall to the ODI side in 2010 also was actually a great decision. Hafeez post 2010 has been very influential in many games with the bat and the ball.

He will eventually retire as a player that could have been so much more than what he achieved, but he came back so strong after his initial failed attempts

Yup, him misbah and ajmal were the trio godsend we needed after 2010.

 

[Junaids]

Tauseef Ahmed from net bowler to Test bowler.

Or was it Lionel Ritchie?

 

[Azan Basit]

Not really a PCB masterstroke, but coaching team/captain masterstroke. Sending Lala up the order in the 2009 WT20 semi-final and final.

Also, Misbah being made captain at 36.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Misbah in 2007 WT20, he played like a possessed man and almost single-handedly won the trophy.

 

[warcry]

Misbah in 2007 WT20, he played like a possessed man and almost single-handedly won the trophy.

misbah was not a masterstroke but more of a blunder. abdul razzaq was more suited to t20 then misbah ever could be. misbah was selected instead of razzaq for that tournament

 

[hadi123]

Bringing back Misbah post spot fixing scandal was good, as was the recall of Hafeez in 2010