New-look T20 squad

T he 15-member Pakistan cricket squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan – to be played in Sharjah between March 24 and March 27 – excludes the bigwigs, including full-time skipper Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf. According to the PCB, the mentioned senior players have been rested to give way for the young players who have performed well in the ongoing edition of the PSL.

The newcomers to national side – which will be led by leg-spin all-rounder Shadab Khan – include uncapped players Ihsan Ullah, Saim Ayub, Tayyab Tahir and Zaman Khan. All of them have made their mark and are well-deserved entrants into the national team. Flamboyant wicket-keeper batsman Azam Khan – who has played three T20Is, but without a notable innings – has also found a place in the new-look team based on his PSL performance representing Islamabad United, including his brutal onslaught of 97 off just 42 balls against Quetta Gladiators.

The PCB management’s policy to work on the bench strength must be appreciated. We have seen, in the past, new players getting a place in the squad, but failing to make it to the playing eleven or hardly getting a chance or two. Now with senior players not available for selection on the tour, the newcomers will have a fair chance to perform and cement their place in the team. Being rewarded with a place in the national team will, on the one hand, be encouraging for the upcoming players; on the other hand, it will keep a pressure on the senior players not to get complacent. Also, resting our main players – especially fast bowlers Shaheen and Rauf – will be both in their own interest and of the national team.

A word or two on the PSL too whose success can well be gauged with the emergence of a whole bunch of talented players. Kudos to the PCB!

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2023.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.