By Raza Ruman
Although the selection committee headed by Inzamam-ul-Haq bet on docile Babar Azam but how come he will perform well without leadership qualities.
Imzmam should have expelled his friends — Aga Salman, Shadab and others and selected some better players like Immad Wasim.
Dawn also said the stress was on continuity — trusting and backing players who had been with the team — as Pakistan’s squad for the World Cup was named on Friday. One change came due to Naseem Shah’s injury, depriving Pakistan of a chance to play their fearsome pace trident comprising the young fast bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf at the tournament in India. Hasan Ali, who last played a One-Day International for Pakistan in June 2022, has been drafted in place of Naseem with chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq crediting his ability to bowl with both the new and old ball as the reason for his inclusion.
“Hasan will have his work cut out for him as a replacement for Naseem, who not only took wickets but was also Pakistan’s most economical bowler at the recent Asia Cup. There are no major surprises otherwise, with Pakistan’s think tank opting to retain spin-bowling all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, despite their struggle to make an impact at the Asia Cup, where the challenge from Babar Azam’s charges ended at the Super Four stage. Inzamam, a member of the squad that won the ODI World Cup in 1992, said he hoped the duo would do well but didn’t specify how. Similar is the case of opener Fakhar Zaman, who will go to India, despite a poor performance at the Asia Cup.”
The paper further says for the World Cup campaign, Pakistan are hoping that things fall in place. It wasn’t like this, though, before the Asia Cup, where Pakistan went in as the world’s top-ranked ODI side. A thrashing at the hands of India and the narrow loss to Sri Lanka were the reality check the team needed. Pakistan have a history of going to tournaments with doubts hanging over their heads, only to overcome the odds and shine their way through. It is, therefore likely that they will overcome Naseem’s injury as well as form issues to do that again. PAK DESTINY
