T20 World Cup: Changes in a Pakistani cricket team, Shoaib Malik replaces Sohaib Maqsood
Another change has been made in Pakistan's 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup on Saturday. Shoaib Malik, who recently completed 11,000 runs in T20 cricket, has returned to the squad.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), middle-order batsman Shoaib Malik has been made a part of the squad in place of Sohaib Maqsood. "Sohaib Maqsood has been ruled out of the national T20 squad due to a back injury," the statement said. He had an MRI scan on October 6.
Muhammad Waseem, the chief selector of the Pakistani cricket team, said, “It is unfortunate that Sohaib Maqsood is out of the T20 World Cup. He worked hard to be part of the national squad. We are aware of them but injuries are part of the game.
He is confident that Sohaib Maqsood will be available to the national cricket team again soon after completing his rehab program. After consultation, we have replaced him with Shoaib Malik in the national squad. Shoaib Malik's experience will be very useful for the national squad.
The national squad will leave for the United Arab Emirates on October 15 to participate in the ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup. The mega event will be played in the UAE from October 17 to November 14. Pakistan will play its first match in the event on October 24 against India. Earlier, Pakistan will play two warm-up matches against the West Indies and South Africa on October 18 and 20, respectively.
Shoaib Malik led Pakistan in the first T20 World Cup in 2007. He was also part of the squad for the 2009 World Cup-winning national cricket team. He also represented Pakistan in the 2012, 2014, and 2016 T20 World Cups.
Shoaib Malik, who started his international career in 1999, has retired from Test and ODI cricket.Sarfraz Ahmed's return, Khushdal Shah, Azam Khan, and Hasnain out of the team
Earlier, the PCB had made three changes in the squad. Batsmen Fakhr Zaman, Haider Ali, and wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed were included in the squad while Khushdal Shah, Azam Khan, and fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain were dropped from the previously announced squad.
Fakhr Zaman was among the reserve players announced for the World Cup. Khushdal Shah has been included in the reserve players after his final inclusion in the team. The reserve players include Shahnawaz Dhani and Usman Qadir.
Some changes in the team were announced by Pakistan Cricket Board chief selector Muhammad Waseem on Friday. Speculation about the changes in the team had been going on for weeks and various names were being taken in this regard.
According to the rules and regulations of ICC events, the participating teams are announced up to a certain date and then a change in these teams is allowed up to a certain date.
The ICC has set two dates for the change in the squads announced for the T20 World Cup. Teams participating in the qualifying round can change their squads until October 10, while the final round is set for October 16.
What is the reason for the changes?
The background to the changes in the Pakistani cricket team is that on September 6, chief selector Muhammad Waseem announced the squad for the T20 World Cup. The same team had to take part in the home series against New Zealand and England, but these two series could not take place, after which these players appeared in action in the National T20 Cup.
However, after the unsatisfactory performance of some players of the team announced for the T20 World Cup in the National T20 Cup, chief selector Muhammad Waseem came under severe criticism.It may be recalled that when Muhammad Wasim announced the inclusion of Asif Ali and Khushdal Shah in the World Cup squad on September 6, there were questions about the performance of these two players. Have become part of
At the time, the chief selector said that of course their figures were not impressive, but they were nonetheless good players in middle-order batting and were expected to perform well in world competition. Earlier, when Mohammad Waseem announced the Pakistan squad for the tour of England and the West Indies, the selection of young batsman Azam Khan was criticized and it was said that only 174 out of 10 matches in the PSL. On what basis have they been included in the team despite scoring runs?
Apart from this, fast bowler Shahnawaz Dhani, who took the most 20 wickets in Pakistan Super League 6, was also shocked that he was not selected for the limited-overs series.
Azam, Khushdal and Hasnain's disappointing performance
Azam Khan, who was dropped from the World Cup squad, has scored just 123 runs in eight matches of the National T20 Cup, including no half-century.
Playing for Southern Punjab, Khushdal Shah has managed to score 173 runs in eight matches with the help of just one half-century.
Fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain has taken just six wickets in the National T20 Cup.
Young batsman Haider Ali was not part of the announced 15-member squad, but batting well for Northern in the National T20 Cup, he has scored 280 runs in eight matches with the help of three half-centuries.
Because of this, the selectors have trusted him once again. He was part of the team that toured England but was dropped for violating the BioSecure bubble during the PSL.
Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed has had the opportunity to play only one ODI in recent times in the presence of Mohammad Rizwan, but his batting performance in the National T20 Cup has been good, so he is an experienced wicketkeeper Azam Khan The place has been returned to the squad.
This is not the first time the selection has changed
This is not the first time that changes have been made in the Pakistan team already announced for an international competition. The same thing happened before the 2019 World Cup when fast bowlers Junaid Khan, Fahim Ashraf, and opener Abid Ali were dropped from the World Cup squad and replaced by Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and Asif Ali. had gone.
The reason for these changes was that the Pakistani bowlers had failed to impress in the ODI series against England before the World Cup.
Fifteen-member squad for the T20 World Cup
Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Fakhr Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hassan Ali, Emad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jr., Sarfraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shoaib Malik
Reserve players of the team
Shahnawaz Dhani, Usman Qadir and Khushdal Shah