Sports

Ahmed Shehzad called up for World T20

The failure of the top-order in Asia Cup forced the selectors to rethink about their decision

Nabeel Hashmi March 02, 2016

Ahmed Shehzad. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan’s opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad is line to replace Khurram Manzoor in the World T20 squad as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked for his passport so that his Indian visa arrives in time.

Shehzad was overlooked for the Asia Cup and World T20 but his consistent performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) built pressure on the selectors and the team management to select him.

The failure of the top-order in Asia Cup, especially Khurram Manzoor’s poor run of form, forced the selectors to rethink about their decision.

Pakistan drop Shehzad for Asia Cup, World Twenty20

The right-handed opening batsman is closing in on 1,000 T20I runs as well as he is just 59 runs short at 941.

“Ahmed has been asked to submit his passport for the World T20,” a PCB official confirmed while talking to The Express Tribune. “His inclusion in the World T20 side will be made official soon.”

COMMENTS (31)

asad amdad | 8 years ago | Reply i love ahmad shehzad.very good decision by pcb to ahmad in t20 wc.i wish k ahmad wct20 me acha perform kari ga

Azhar Ashaq | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistan need a spinner and syed ajmal is probably the best at now. Afridi is not a reliable player so make him open the innings pakistan can have a great benifit from this move. The death bowling is not up to date you need to have a bowler like junaid khan in the team. for me the playing X1 should be: Afridi shehzad Hafeez sarfaraz malik imad wasim Wahab riaz Mohammad amir junaid khan syed ajmal mohammad irfan

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Imtiaz | 8 years ago | Reply There is no back up players available in Pakistan as it repeatedly calling the old failed players. This is the grave situation in Pakistan cricket.

Persevere | 8 years ago | Reply Play and act like a cricketer not like a film star. Ladies, please do not spoil a good prospect with your flattering tweets. Thanks.

faizal | 8 years ago | Reply Pakistan also need seed ajmal

Hasan | 8 years ago | Reply How to make people support inclusion of Shehzad despite his performances? Include an even worse player! Well played PCB!!!

ibrarhunzai | 8 years ago | Reply The team and the batting order should be, Sharjeel, Sarfaraz, Hafeez, Umar akmal, Malik, baber azam/rizwan, nawaz, afridi, Wahab, Amir, Irfan/Sami. No place for Shehzad, Maqsood, anwer ali. Sarfaraz is not a big hitter, he is a clear waste down the order, he should be opening.

edward sopon | 8 years ago | Reply it is high time to replace Iftikhar Ahmed,Anwar Ali and inclusion Sohail Tanvir,Zulfiqar Babar,Mukhtar Ahmed.

Amir | 8 years ago | Reply Rizwan should be another opener. Rizwan struggle against spin but he can bat the fast bowling. wickets will be flat in India so consider Sohaib Maqsood as he can play spin. Please also consider Sohail Khan as he is much better depth overs bowler than Wahab Riaz. Rizwan Shahzad/sharjeel malik Sarfaraz/afridi (both plays spin very well) Akmal Afridi Hafeez/Sohaib Maqsood Sami/Imad Sohail Khan Amir Irfan

Feroz | 8 years ago | Reply How long will this game of going from one failed player to another continue ? Please bring in young and fresh faces and give them chances.

azmat | 8 years ago | Reply I think Babar Azam would have been a good choice. may be bring both Shehzad and Azam in and Manzoor and Hafeez out. But let me tell you honestly, i think it was Shehzad's good luck that he was dropped from Asia cup. there is no way he would have survived the moving and rising ball like it did in Bangladesh.

Arafat Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Now Pakistan team suffering from batsman,,,,,i dont know y Shehzad was out of Asia cup,,,,i agreed shehzad was out of form but he is a only batmen in pakistan team can open the inning and know how to play the shot,,,,,,Pcb should give change to these type up batsman to be mature,,,,,This is worst time for pakistan team for batting order.I will very upset yesterday with Mohammed Sami,,,,he is a very senior player and done blunder mistake.Pakistan T2o Team should be like this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Ahmed Shehzad Mohammed Hafeez Shoaib Malik Umar Akmal Sarfaraz Ahmed Shahid Afridi Anwar Ali or Sharjeel Khan (to charged on Bowlers) Wahab Reyaz or Sohail Tanveer Mohammed Amir Mohammed Irfan Junaid Khan Should be this type of combination to play in Indian Pitches

sameer | 8 years ago | Reply they are all loosers I think they shouldn't play cricket anymore

Fuzail | 8 years ago | Reply We cannot afford to make wholesale changes, unfortunately. It is too late. Just ask Afridi to retire before WC and if he does not, don't take him along. Sarfaraz can be the captain. Bring Rizwan back for Afridi, and Ahmad Shahzad (the loser) for Khurram Manzoor. Anwar Ali to be replaced with Sohail Tanvir.

maarige munir | 8 years ago | Reply Hats off to khurram manzoor for letting us know the importance of Ahmed Shehzad :)

SN | 8 years ago | Reply Where is Rizwan??

anwar | 8 years ago | Reply Shahid Afridi* should open the inning if Pakistan need win.

Imran Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Good Choice

Taimoor | 8 years ago | Reply HAHA... Here he comes our savior. If Hafeez and Shahzad are openers both of em will be out by the 2nd over. Guaranteed!!

NKAli | 8 years ago | Reply Very good! Ahmed Shehzad is a sparkling batsman with a temper. He needs cooling down to score records in the ICC annals. Right now the urgency in PCB is to unceremoniously BOOT out coach, Waqar Younis and captain, Shahid Afridi. Once again it is repeated.......PRIVATIZE cricket by incorporating it on the KSE. Salams

Old Ravian | 8 years ago | Reply Merry-go-around of Pakistan cricket.

AD | 8 years ago | Reply selectors are clueless as they have been not keeping eye on any talent and enjoying second jobs/tasks at home. and Now they are creating panic among players by this bulldozer mindset What if Khurram Manzoor hits 60-80 runs against SriLanka ?

moshakir | 8 years ago | Reply pak squde for wt.20 1.hafiz 2.sarfraz .3.malik.4. harish sohail. 5. babar azam .6.shezad.7.afridi.8.umar gul.9.amir.10. j khan.11.irfan. 12 saeed ajmal. 13 imadwasim 14 umar akmal 15 imran nazir is the best player in the world .

Saad | 8 years ago | Reply He even has a brand new Selfie Camera phone. Afridi must be very happy.

PakSal | 8 years ago | Reply No long term planning ... musical chairs continue ...

Ali | 8 years ago | Reply When all else fails, recall previous failures, the old guard just don't care anymore, they know, doesn't matter how much humiliation they heap onto the country they will still get picked, why they don't just fill the side with youngsters who actually give a damn, and allow them to grow as a group, but that will never happen while the same old politics exist!

Fawad | 8 years ago | Reply You can't keep bringing proven failures into the team. Why are Maqsood, Shahzad and Anwar Ali always in the team? Clearly Sarfraz needs time in T20s, he should open with Mohammad Hafeez. Malik, who can actually build an innings, needs to be at 3, with Akmal at 4. Mohammad Rizwan should have never lost his place and needs to be at 5. Imad Wasim should be at 6. Afridi shouldn't be in the team, but since they'll never kick him out, he should be at 7. Sohail Tanvir, probably Pakistan's best T20 player, should be at 8. Gul at 9, Amir at 10, Irfan at 11. This team will go far in the world T20. But alas, the selectors don't have any sense in them.

Dash | 8 years ago | Reply Doesn't Rizwan deserve chance?

hassan Shahzad | 8 years ago | Reply I love to watching Ahmad Shahzad

Raja | 8 years ago | Reply Another loser. We've got a bunch of losers, headed by Afridi,comprising the team . I'm not watching T20 cup as I know the result already.

Mausam rana | 8 years ago | Reply Good decision ..... Very good ahmad sehzad come back

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