Pakistan have finalized their squad for the World Cup following a couple of changes following the 4-0 drubbing against England. Wahab Riaz, Mohammed Amir and Asif Ali have been included in place of Faheem Ashraf, Junaid Khan and Abid Ali.
The final squad bears more resemblance to the one we had predicted last month, more than the preliminary squad. Even so, there remain three major differences – Wahab Riaz, Mohammed Hasnain and Asif Ali, in place of Faheem Ashraf, Usman Shinwari and Mohammed Rizwan.
As the disclaimer in the predicted squad said, the inclusion of Faheem, Shinwari and Rizwan wasn’t endorsed, only expected. The former’s inclusion in the preliminary squad vindicated the management’s continued trust in him, but Faheem Ashraf has continued to let those backing him down with a continuum of no-shows. Far from being the all-rounder that he’s touted as, Faheem is struggling to do a decent job with ball or bat.
Mohammed Amir
Amir’s inclusion was always expected. His absence from the England series owing to chickenpox and the fact that everyone else got hit around paved the way for him. Of course, had he been selected there’s a good chance that he would’ve got a hammering as well like everyone else, in which case it would’ve been harder to justify his selection given that he’s done little of note for the past two years.
If not playing a series worked well for Amir, not playing any international cricket at all seems to have done wonders for Wahab Riaz. His expensive spells of the past have been overlooked given than those he has been preferred over have been expensive in the present. Although what definitely goes in his favour is the fact that he can whack the call around with the bat, and is decent in the field as well.
Asif Ali’s inclusion in the final squad is perhaps the least contentious amongst those that weren’t in the preliminary lineup
That is precisely what those justifying his inclusion over Junaid Khan would argue. Junaid has been by far the better bowler in every possible aspect, except in the other two departments that haven’t been a part of his job description.
Even so, in an era of the 3D player, weakness in two of the three fields might be too much to bear for most sides, anywhere, but especially for Pakistan in the current English conditions, where even England’s bowlers are going for plenty. The argument is, if everyone is going to be hit around, might as well stuff the lineup with batting ability so that the team can go hard throughout the 50 overs. That’s precisely what England demonstrated in the recently concluded ODI series.
Asif Ali
Wahab Riaz
Luckily for Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain, they got a chance to showcase their slogging ability with the willow in the final ODI. Although those two would’ve got in for the bowling talent alone. Hasnain for being a right-armer in a lineup brimming over with left-arm fast bowlers, and Shaheen for being the best fast bowler for Pakistan over the past six months. Both also have the ability to crack the 90 mph mark, which would be needed in the given conditions, and which is one of the reasons why Wahab Riaz has been recalled.
Asif Ali’s inclusion in the final squad is perhaps the least contentious amongst those that weren’t in the preliminary lineup. Pakistan clearly lack power hitting and he genuinely is the only batsman anywhere near the national squad who can match the requirements of lower-order batting. Two successive fifties in the England series might have sealed his position in the starting lineup, but Asif would have to continue to deliver the goods to continue to keep his position in the starting 11.
We’ll preview Pakistan’s start to the World Cup and the first choice 11 next week. Right now the focus is entirely on the players who have sneaked into the squad at the 11th hour, whose performance will be scrutinized more than the rest, from the very first ball.
