Pakistan unveils strong World Cup squad
The onus is now on Misbah and his troops to deliver
Chief Selector Moin Khan announcing Pakistan's World Cup squad on Wednesday. PHOTO: PCB
KARACHI:
Remaining true to their reputation, the national selection committee kept everyone guessing for weeks before unveiling the final squad for cricket World Cup 15 on Wednesday.
A sense of frenzy and curiosity prevailed at Karachi’s National Stadium as a huge media contingent turned up to cover this major announcement. But unlike previous occasions, Chief Selector Moin Khan didn’t keep the restless media persons waiting for long, announcing the squad at the stipulated 2pm time.
While 12 players were considered a certainty, the trio of Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz and Ehsan Adil made it to the list at the eleventh hour. Sohail broke down the proverbial door of selection by his magnificent return of 10 wickets in two games of the ongoing Pentangular Cup at the NSK. The lanky pacer also bowled brilliantly in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Gold League and was subsequently declared the ‘Best Bowler of the Tournament’.
Ehsan and Wahab were drafted in on the insistence of the team management with Head Coach Waqar Younis throwing his weight behind the duo. Ehsan is rather untested at the ODI level and has, in fact, featured in only one Test this season. Wahab has turned out to be a contentious pick mainly due to his lack of form and suspect fitness in recent games. Insiders say he was given the nod ahead of Sohail Tanvir and all-rounders Bilawal Bhatti and Anwar Ali primarily due to Waqar’s strong backing.
Wahab is definitely the quickest of the quartet of Tanvir, Bhatti and Anwar but has the tendency of leaking runs on his off-days. His fitness also remains susceptible following a knee injury he suffered recently.
Yasir Shah, the leg-spinner, was preferred over Raza Hasan, the left-armer, mainly due to his outstanding form in Test cricket and his fielding abilities. In Australian conditions, Yasir is expected to play a back-up role to Shahid Afridi and Harris Sohail.
Left-arm pacers Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan were considered automatic selections after proving their fitness in the Pentangular, and were expectedly slotted in.
The selectors, one feels, wisely opted to choose an additional bowler by selecting only two front-line openers Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez. Sarfraz Ahmed, the in-form wicketkeeper batsman, can be used as a back-up opener, as indicated by Moin.
The fulcrum of the middle-order revolves around veterans Younis Khan and Misbahul Haq while Umar Akmal and Sohaib Maqsood should revel on pitches where the ball is expected to bounce evenly. All in all, the selection panel seems to have done a decent job in choosing the World Cup 2015. The onus is now on Misbah and his troops to deliver. Go well Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2015.
Remaining true to their reputation, the national selection committee kept everyone guessing for weeks before unveiling the final squad for cricket World Cup 15 on Wednesday.
A sense of frenzy and curiosity prevailed at Karachi’s National Stadium as a huge media contingent turned up to cover this major announcement. But unlike previous occasions, Chief Selector Moin Khan didn’t keep the restless media persons waiting for long, announcing the squad at the stipulated 2pm time.
While 12 players were considered a certainty, the trio of Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz and Ehsan Adil made it to the list at the eleventh hour. Sohail broke down the proverbial door of selection by his magnificent return of 10 wickets in two games of the ongoing Pentangular Cup at the NSK. The lanky pacer also bowled brilliantly in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Gold League and was subsequently declared the ‘Best Bowler of the Tournament’.
Ehsan and Wahab were drafted in on the insistence of the team management with Head Coach Waqar Younis throwing his weight behind the duo. Ehsan is rather untested at the ODI level and has, in fact, featured in only one Test this season. Wahab has turned out to be a contentious pick mainly due to his lack of form and suspect fitness in recent games. Insiders say he was given the nod ahead of Sohail Tanvir and all-rounders Bilawal Bhatti and Anwar Ali primarily due to Waqar’s strong backing.
Wahab is definitely the quickest of the quartet of Tanvir, Bhatti and Anwar but has the tendency of leaking runs on his off-days. His fitness also remains susceptible following a knee injury he suffered recently.
Yasir Shah, the leg-spinner, was preferred over Raza Hasan, the left-armer, mainly due to his outstanding form in Test cricket and his fielding abilities. In Australian conditions, Yasir is expected to play a back-up role to Shahid Afridi and Harris Sohail.
Left-arm pacers Mohammad Irfan and Junaid Khan were considered automatic selections after proving their fitness in the Pentangular, and were expectedly slotted in.
The selectors, one feels, wisely opted to choose an additional bowler by selecting only two front-line openers Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez. Sarfraz Ahmed, the in-form wicketkeeper batsman, can be used as a back-up opener, as indicated by Moin.
The fulcrum of the middle-order revolves around veterans Younis Khan and Misbahul Haq while Umar Akmal and Sohaib Maqsood should revel on pitches where the ball is expected to bounce evenly. All in all, the selection panel seems to have done a decent job in choosing the World Cup 2015. The onus is now on Misbah and his troops to deliver. Go well Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2015.