Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: April 18, 2024 | 
| 中文
Captain Babar Azam and former captain Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan cricket team is gearing up for a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting on the 18th of April, in Rawalpindi and Lahore. A fitness camp of 29 national team players was organized at Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, from March 29 to April 8, to prepare for the series and the upcoming events. Pakistan has a packed schedule in the next two months, as it is set to play three T20Is against Ireland and four against England in May, in order to prepare for the T20 World Cup, scheduled in West Indies and the United States of America in June later this year. A few administrative decisions have created chaos in Pakistan's cricketing circles, the main being replacing the captain at such a crucial time.
Players doing physical training at Kakul
Pakistan Cricket Board never ceases to disappoint its fans with reckless decisions, which could affect the team's unity, morale and performance. Babar Azam has been reappointed as Pakistan's white-ball captain, abdicating Shaheen Shah Afridi of the responsibilities, who had been given the charge in Pakistan's last series against New Zealand. With just one disappointing series against New Zealand and a lackluster performance leading Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Shaheen has been sacked unceremoniously. The removal of Shaheen from captaincy signifies that either his appointment was wrong or his sacking is. Such hasty decisions are detrimental to the team's performance, as just one series is not enough to gauge a player's captaincy acumen and caliber. Shaheen has displayed his leadership skills by winning two consecutive PSL titles under his leadership for the Qalandars in 2022 and 2023.
Shaheen Afridi led Pakistan against New Zealand in Pakistan's last T20 series
Pakistan Cricket Board uploaded a statement on its official website after appointing Babar as captain, which signified that Shaheen has been taken into confidence with the decision and he is committed to supporting Babar. It was later revealed that Shaheen was not aware of the statements credited to him and was furious at statements being attributed to him without his approval. It was reported that Shaheen was thinking about rebutting the claims. Chairman BCB, Mohsin Naqvi, however, succeeded in amicably controlling the matter. This mishandling of the captaincy saga could strain the relationships between the biggest cricketing superstars of Pakistan, who have supported each other in difficult situations. Babar Azam was also sacked in a similar vein after a disastrous performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup, as the PCB officials and chairman created chaos mid-tournament. The foolery seems to continue unabated despite changes in the management.
Captain Babar Azam meets PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi
Babar Azam has returned as captain till the T20 World Cup, and he is set to build the team for the mega event. Before Babar's appointment, PCB recalled senior players, Muhammad Amir and Imad Wasim, to the national fitness camp at Kakul. It is reported that the management has promised to include the T20 veterans in the T20 World Cup squad, who had previously retired from international cricket. Both the players have criticized Babar Azam in the past on television, claiming he does not deserve a place in the Pakistan T20 team. How both these players will jell with Babar as their captain is a matter of concern.
Babar Azam, Muhammad Amir and Imad Wasim in Karachi Kings' jersey
With the World Cup scheduled in a couple of months, Pakistan needs to prepare its team for the next three bilateral tours. The matter of concern for Pakistan is to build a stable middle-order batting unit, as it has been the weakest link of the team in shorter formats. With Babar, Rizwan and Saim fixed at the top, Pakistan has a plethora of options to choose from for the next three spots: Azam Khan, Muhammad Haris, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, and Shadab Khan amongst others. Usman Khan, who played PSL as an overseas player from UAE, had been included in the Kakul camp, which means he is available for Pakistan team selection. Usman, who was awarded best batter of PSL 2024, could be a good choice for Pakistan given that he is extremely good against Spin, can keep the wickets, and is known for his explosive batting. Usman's inclusion means Fakhar Zaman's position is in danger. Another middle-order option is Azam Kham, who has so far failed to deliver at the international level in the limited opportunities offered to him. Azam's strike rate of 171.21 in the recently concluded PSL is the second best after Iftikhar Ahmed (193.3) amongst all the batters who scored at least 100 runs. Azam's swashbuckling Strokeplay and his experience of playing in the Caribbean conditions is an added advantage. Shadab, who played at number four in PSL, is also another option, along with the explosive Muhammad Haris, who can bat at number four. Usman Khan or Fakhar Zaman are ideal choices for number four, Azam Khan for number five, Iftikhar Ahmed for number six, Shadab for seven and Imad for eight.
Usman Khan plays a shot, while Azam Khan is behind the stumps
Three premium fast bowlers can make it to the playing XI, from the combination of Shaheen, Amir, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, while Abbas Afridi, Zaman Khan, Aamir Jamal and Hasan Ali can also make it to the team. In the spin department, the most successful spinners of PSL 9, Usama Mir and Abrar Ahmed, will be vying for a spot in the team.
According to my analysis, the best 18 players (15+ 3 reserves) for the Pakistan team going into the World Cup are:
Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Muhammad Rizwan, Usman Khan, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah, Haris Rauf
Additional Players: Muhammad Wasim, Muhammad Amir, Muhammad Haris, Fakhar Zaman,
Travelling Reserves: Abrar Ahmed, Abbas Afridi, Sahibzada Farhan
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