KARACHI: Having been sidelined for the last two years, all-rounder Fawad Alam is in contention to earn a shock recall for the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia that starts in the UAE later this month.
An official close to the A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official selection committee confirmed that the left-hander may be recalled for the three-match series to be played from August 28 to September 3. The selection committee will meet next week to discuss the squad after head coach David Whatmore returns to the country on August 7.
Alam, 26, has featured in 27 ODIs since making his debut in May 2007. While he has an average of almost 38 and a strike-rate of over 73, the left-hander was discarded following the tour of New Zealand in 2010. Alam then failed to find a place in the selectors’ good books despite performing well on the domestic circuit. Alam’s performance in the last domestic season, where he finished among the top run-getters, seemed to have nudged the selection committee. He ended as the third highest run-scorer in the Quaid Trophy, boasting the best average of 67.5 as he amassed 945 runs from 11 matches.
“Alam is among the contenders,” the official told The Express Tribune. “The selectors want some depth in the batting department because of the tough opposition and this is why he has returned among the candidates. There are a few other sidelined cricketers who are also being considered for the series.”
However, the official said that confirming his place in the national team would be premature.
“The selectors will meet the head coach and the captain. It will be finalised after everyone’s consensus.”
Meanwhile, according to reports, former captain Shoaib Malik and Yasir Hameed are also among the probables for making a comeback in the team. Hameed has not been selected since the tour of England in 2010, while Malik, included in the Twenty20 squad, last played an ODI during the ‘home’ series against England in the UAE earlier this year.
Various discarded players including Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir and Kamran Akmal have also regained their places in the Twenty20 squad for Australia series as well as the World Twenty20.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 2nd, 2012.
COMMENTS (10)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
fawad alam iz the man who scored 169 on hiz dabut and haz been ignored by the currupt selectors. He should be selected becoz he iz a talented left hand batsman with an average of above than 37 better than hafeez, umar, farhat and others and he iz among the top run gatters of the recent domestic tournament.
oh God not again. Why do the PCB keep on trying the already tried players? they brough in sami again, who failed miserably. same case with imran farhat and taufeeq umar. they have not learned the lesson and yet again fawad alam? the guy who gets so tensed, that he cant even chase at 6 rpo. what a joke, does this country of millions not have good talented batsmen?
Good hardworking team man, should be given chances. He has a potential to form future backbone of Pak batting with Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq.
People who are saying that this guy is a parchi should at-least get some facts right. Please try to research on some statistics before you open your mouth. He is an all rounder with good batting, bowling and fielding skills. Overall he is a complete play. Very hardworking and performance oriented. His averages are much better than some people who are in the team. It's a shame for all of us that such people cannot make it in the team because of the short shortsightedness and corruption in the board. He has performed really well in Austrailia, when the entire team failed. A must have for every team.
Get your facts right before you write things. He MUST be selected if the board has some sense of achievement. He can do great for Pakistan. And yes he is much better than that Umer Akmal, who is an overrated batsman!
And also not forget Fawad's century on debue in Test Match against SL. The innings of 163 was awesome and that too against quality bowling. Since then he could only play two more test matches. What a pity?
@Shadi are you serious. Did you even watch cricket ? A person with an average of 38 and strike rate of 73 in ODI. How many of playing 11 has average more than him.Highest run getter in domestic cricket last season. Him being not selected is some sort of parchi.
What is your criteria of selection ?
to all people who oppose fawad's selection, first check this guy's average with strike rate, second and most important, check the same against quality opponents like australia and south africa. i remember his innings of 60+ against australia on perth pitch where he came to bat when pak was 4/5 wickets down with 70 some runs on the board. He's a very good cricketer and should be selected automatically.
if imran farhat can still find a place despite all his failures, then fawad alam should be a regular too haha!