Pakistan’s first choice eleven

The Asia Cup disaster incensed both critics and fans of the national team with the Chairman PCB Shaharyar Khan cashing in on another ‘playing to the gallery’ opportunity by promising wholesale changes in the squad and management for the WorldT20 in a hurriedly arranged press conference, the day after the Bangladesh defeat.

But after a weekend of deliberations, better sense has prevailed and the team now embarks — subject to government’s clearance — on a gruelling journey across the border with only one change to the original T20 squad announced last month.



Ahmed Shehzad, left out of the Asia Cup and WorldT20 squads when they were first announced last month, makes a return in place of the out of sorts Khurram Manzoor who was ruefully exposed on the seaming Mirpur tracks.

With Shehzad available, one feels that Pakistan must rest Mohammad Hafeez for at least the opening two games — Qualifier and India — of the World T20 since his recent form in the shortest format has left a lot to be desired — 52 runs in his last six innings at 8.50 per innings.

Since he has been retained in the squad, the seasoned campaigner should be given time off to reflect on his game and prepare for a reintroduction in the eleven if needed.



Here is the eleven in batting order out of the available lot that at least on paper looks to be well-rounded for the batting and bowling challenges on the Indian pitches.

1. Ahmed Shehzad



Left out of the Asia Cup and the original World T20 squad, Shehzad is indeed lucky to claw back into contention largely on the back of the insipid displays by Manzoor. The PSL brought decent rewards for the right-hander who scored two fifties and two scores of 41 each for the Quetta Gladiators playing a vital role in their ascent to the final of the tournament.



At the WorldT20, Shehzad would be expected to get the team off to a flier with Sharjeel or Hafeez; he must play with an unencumbered approach with an aim of maximizing the advantage of power play overs on what should be batting friendly surfaces.

2. Sharjeel Khan



Brought back into the fray after his blitzkrieg for Islamabad United in the PSL eliminator against Peshawar Zalmi, Sharjeel too found the Mirpur wickets a baptism of fire. However, his 31 against Sri Lanka in the last Asia Cup game might have helped restore some confidence. The key is that Sharjeel too plays the game that he is known for since on his day he has the ability of winning a match single-handedly.

3. Umar Akmal



Umar Akmal must bat in the top-order, with Sarfraz also adapting to the top-order role remarkably well one feels that Pakistan’s think tank should place Umar at three ahead of Sarfraz.



Time and again he has shown his value in the top-order; in the Asia Cup he played match winning knocks at four against UAE and Sri Lanka while he averages a staggering 58.33 in five innings at number three. Strangely, he hasn’t batted there even once since December 2012.

4. Sarfraz Ahmed



Like Akmal, Sarfraz offers real pedigree on sub-continental wickets in the top-four. In the Asia Cup he scored a back against the wall 58* before a rapid-fire 38 from number three against Sri Lanka which laid the foundations of a comfortable win.

5. Shoaib Malik



Malik, at five, will provide the cushion to the middle-order. The T20 veteran can accelerate and consolidate in tandem with the situation of the game. If Pakistan get off to a good start, Malik can throw caution to the wind or stabilise in case of a top-order collapse – a situation not too alien for Malik in recent days.



6. Mohammad Nawaz



Nawaz, who made many batsmen dance to his tunes in the PSL, found the going tough in his first two outings at the international level in the Asia Cup. But since he has been retained, the think-tank must back his all-round abilities by slotting him in at number six where he can make a contribution with the bat in the last few overs besides providing back-up spin option for Afridi, Malik and Imad.

7. Shahid Afridi



Despite the recent speculation on his retirement, Afridi is apparently set to take his last bow from international cricket at the end of the World T20. As the leader of the team, he must spearhead the attack and realise the value of his batting and bowling stints on Indian tracks.

Historically, the mercurial all-rounder has excelled in various formats across the border and while he’s not expected to repeat the top-order heroics in the 2009 edition of the World T20, he can still turn a game on its head with a quick-fire dash in the death overs.

For Pakistan to progress beyond the group stage, Afridi must play the role of a floater in the order and maximise his hitting abilities as and when needed. His leg-spinners would be of equal importance on the Indian tracks.

8. Imad Wasim



Not long ago Imad praised Afridi for backing him and calling him his ‘main player’, unfortunately though Imad wasn’t included in the eleven for any of the four Mirpur games. In India, though one feels that the Islamabad all-rounder is going to be an important cog in the wheel.

At number eight he provides an additional batting option while possessing the ability of bowling two to three or even his entire quota of overs on a good day. With Imad in the line-up, Afridi will have the choice of Malik and Nawaz besides the all-rounder as back-up bowling options.

9. Wahab Riaz



Wahab was left out of the eleven after a drab show against India in Pakistan’s opening Asia Cup game. The left-armer has the tendency of blowing hot and cold, but on his day, he’s a potent strike force who can rattle the best in the business with his pace and bounce. Wahab needs to rely more on full-pitched deliveries especially during the death overs and he should be included ahead of Mohammad Sami at least in the opening games.

10. Mohammad Amir



Amir is easily the most in-form Pakistan bowler at the moment; his swinging deliveries bothered all in Mirpur during the Asia Cup. The Indian wickets, though, are set to test his credentials to the fullest with scant seam and swing options. Afridi must deploy him as a wicket-taking bowler and must give him an extra close-in fielder (extra slip or gully) even at the risk of leaking some extra runs at the start of the innings.

11. Mohammad Irfan



Just like Amir, Irfan must be used as a wicket-taking option. The key for Pakistan’s success would be the form of the new ball bowlers; the pace attack can definitely set a team back with strikes at the top. They must be backed by the think tank and allowed to exert pressure with their game plan.