LAHORE: Terming Pakistan’s fast bowling attack strong even without injured spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, chief selector Mohammad Wasim on Monday announced the national Test squad, with four changes, for the forthcoming three-match home series against England.
The 18-member squad contains four changes including two new faces — pacer Mohammad Ali and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed — for the three-Test series starting at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Dec 1.
Uncapped pacer Mohammad Wasim Jr and leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood, who were part of the Test side for the three home Tests against Australia earlier this year, are the other two players who returned to the side.
The four omissions from the squad, which played in an away two-Test series against Sri Lanka in July-August this year, include Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Yasir Shah — due to below-par performance — and Shaheen.
While announcing the squad at a press conference here, Wasim said though Pakistan had limited fast bowling options in Tests, the bowlers other than injured Shaheen held decent record in white-ball formats and the pace department looked potent.
“If you see the performances of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim [in white-ball game] we have great hope from them in the [England] Test series, too,” the chief selector said.
“Yes we have limited options in red-ball cricket compared to short formats. If you look at the domestic performances of Mohammad Ali they are also impressive. [Therefore], I think we have a strong fast bowling attack against England.”
Responding to a question regarding the decision to include 22-year-old Shaheen in the playing XI at the recently-held T20 World Cup led to a bad result (injury), Wasim dispelled the impression.
“In the first couple of [World Cup], matches Shaheen took time to regain his rhythm but once he got it he looked the same lethal Shaheen, as you saw him [in the group match] against South Africa at Sydney,” Wasim remarked.
“But unfortunately he again sustained [the] knee injury while fielding, and not due to bowling. Therefore, it is wrong to criticise that he played the T20 World Cup prematurely,” the chief selector said, who seemed satisfied over Pakistan’s performance in the World Cup where the Babar Azam-led green-shirts went down fighting against a formidable England side in the final at Melbourne.
Shaheen was unavailable for selection after he underwent on Sunday an appendicitis surgery, which will require three-four weeks’ rest following which the bowler will resume his two-week rehabilitation on his right knee.
Speaking about the selection of Abrar, Wasim said the 24-year-old leg-spinner was in rich form during the ongoing Quaid-i-Azam Trophy (43 wickets, average 21.95). The player has so far bagged five-wicket hauls five times in six Quaid Trophy matches.
According to Wasim, the squad was announced keeping in view the type of pitches being prepared for the Test series against England.
About Karachi-born Mohammad Ali, Wasim said in the last two editions of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy he had taken 56 wickets including 24 wickets in the current edition of the premier domestic event.
He said with Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Junior, Mohammad Ali would be good additions to the bowling attack.
The batting department comprises captain Babar Azam, Azhar Ali, Abdullah Shafique, who impressed with his quality batting skills against Australia in the home series this year besides openers Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood.
The spin bowling attack featuring Nauman Ali, Zahid Mahmood, Abrar and Salman Ali Agha lacks experience while spinning all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz can be a dark horse.
The series is part of the ICC World Test Championship. The second and third Tests will be staged in Multan (Dec 9-13) and Karachi (Dec 17-21).
Squad: Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain/wicket-keeper, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Abrar Ahmed (Sindh), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Haris Rauf (Northern), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Ali (Central Punjab), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Mohammad Wasim Jr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab), Nauman Ali (Northern), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shan Masood (Balochistan), Zahid Mahmood (Sindh)
Player support personnel: Mansoor Rana (manager), Saqlain Mushtaq (head coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant to head coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Shaun Tait (bowling coach), Cliffe Deacon (physio), Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (media manager), Ammar Ahsan (digital content producer), Lt Col Atif Azad (security manager), Dr Najeeb Soomro (team doctor), Talha Ejaz (analyst), Malang Ali (masseur).
Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2022
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