2nd Twenty20: ‘Best playing XI crucial for winning’

Former coach Mohsin backs Pakistan to shock the Proteas in deciding T20.

KARACHI:

Pakistan’s former coach and player Mohsin Khan has suggested that it is crucial for the selection committee to pick the best playing XI and combined with proper strategic game planning to win the second Twenty20 (T20) match against South Africa.

The first T20 between the two teams was washed out due to heavy rain, but they are now set to take on each other at the Centurion today.

“Pakistan have fresh faces in the squad which will certainly rejuvenate the team,” Mohsin told The Express Tribune.

“However, I still believe that Pakistan must select the correct playing XI and go with different game plans to outdo their opponents — they need to play with a killer instinct. If they go into the field with all these attributes, then nobody can stop us from winning as we’ve got talented T20 players and several match winners.”

Mohsin added that the team combination had always been good when it came to the shorter format of the game but the seniors still had to take responsibility to push the players forward. He advised skipper Mohammad Hafeez to continue batting at number three, while allowing Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad to open the innings.

The former coach also emphasised that Pakistan needed to promote Kamran Akmal up the order because he had the ability to make quick runs which put pressure on the opposition.

Mohsin, who had in addition served as a chief selector, hoped that all-rounder Shahid Afridi would finally prove good on his selection as well.

“I wish that Afridi gets back into form and does well in all three disciplines — batting, bowling and fielding. He is still a very important player for Pakistan because if he gets going, then he can take pressure off his teammates.”

Pakistan favourite for last T20: Basit   

Another former cricketer Basit Ali said the national team have the capability to beat South Africa in the T20 and One-Day International series if the players played up to their potential.

He said that the second match will prove to be a high-scoring one, pointing out that stroke makers Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal would play a key role.

“I expect it to be a high scoring match and I think the batsmen will play a major role rather than the bowlers,” said Basit.

“The pitch at Centurion will suit the likes of Jamshed, Kamran and Umar who like to play their shots even on the rising deliveries. T20 is a different ball game and Pakistan should forget what happened in the Test series if they want to do well in the T20 and one-day series.”

‘Asad Shafiq should’ve been in the T20 squad’

Meanwhile, Basit blasted the selection committee for snubbing in-form Asad Shafiq from the shorter format of the game, stating that he had the capabilities to play in all formats of the game.

“It’s an offence on the selection committee’s part to overlook a player of Asad’s quality from any format of the game. He is possibly the best young batsman who should have been an automatic choice for all formats of the game,” he said.

Basit explained that Asad had proved himself in the toughest conditions against the world class bowling attack of South Africa in the Test series, and to select him for Twenty20 team would have sent a positive message to the player.

Basit Ali



“I expect it to be a high scoring match and I think the batsmen will play a major role rather than the bowlers. The pitch at Centurion will suit the likes of Jamshed, Kamran and Umar who like to play their shots even on the rising deliveries.”

Mohsin Khan



“I still believe that Pakistan must select the correct playing eleven and go with different game plans to outdo their opponents — they need to play with a killer instinct. Then nobody can stop us from winning as we’ve got talented T20 players.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2013.