Pakistan cricket selectors, headed by former Test skipper Inzamamul Haq, on Thursday dropped fast bowler Mohammad Amir from a 15-member Pakistan squad named for the ICC World Cup to be held in England in May-June this year. However, Amir has been named in a 17-man squad for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against England in England. Along with Amir, big-hitting batsman Asif Ali also features in the team for the England series. The World Cup outfit includes 11 players from the side that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in England and Wales. Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs at The Oval on June 18, 2017 to become only the third country in the history of the game to win all four men’s ICC events –– the World Cup, the Champions Trophy, the T20 World Cup and the Under-19 World Cup. The other two sides to achieve the rare feat are India and the West Indies. Pakistan’s World Cup squad is a combination of three openers, four middle-order batsmen, wicketkeeper-batsman in Sarfaraz Ahmed, two spinners and five fast bowlers.
Since producing a match-winning three-wicket haul in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, Amir’s form has nose-dived. Left-arm seamer Amir has missed out after a poor performance in the format since that tournament. In 101 overs he bowled since the Champions Trophy, Amir has taken five wickets at an average of 92.60, the poorest numbers for any bowler who has bowled over 600 balls in this time frame. Amir had taken 55 wickets in 36 matches till the final against India two years back. Those wickets had come at an average of 27.41 and a strike rate of 33.90. Since then, the average is in the 90s and the strike rate in the 120s.
The only metric that has improved is his economy but a team needs wickets from a strike bowler and Amir has been continuously failing on that count. He went wicketless in two of the five series he was involved in since the Champions Trophy. In one other — against Zimbabwe — he picked up just one wicket in three matches. In all of these series, he averaged 50 or more. Considering how Pakistan pacers have performed since the Champions Trophy, it is no surprise that Amir has been excluded. Hasan Ali tops the wicket chart with 35 wickets in 23 matches but even the second highest wicket-taker, Usman Shinwari, who took 28 wickets at an average of 19.32, couldn’t manage to win a place in the World Cup squad. All Pakistan pacers, except Mohammad Abbas, have averaged much better than Amir in this time frame.
“The selectors, the coach, and the captain have together drafted our best possible squad and tried to keep the Champions Trophy-winning group intact,” Inzamam said at a press conference. “God willing, this team of ours will be successful,” he added. “Although Amir’s performance hasn’t been impressive off late, his experience in England can be beneficial for the side,” Inzamam said while responding to a question. Talking about his selections, Inzamam said: “While picking the side, we’ve tried to cover all bases by assessing our strengths as well as analysing each opponent, the match venues and the event format.”
Abid Ali has been preferred to Shan Masood as Pakistan’s backup opener after the 31-year-old right-hander scored a century on debut against Australia last month. Experienced all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez is also selected in the World Cup squad but subject to passing a fitness test ahead of the tournament. Inzamam said that Hafeez’s inclusion in the squad hinged on him proving his fitness, adding that changes can be made to the 15-man World Cup squad until May 23. The chief selector defended the team’s recent ODI performance, saying that a severely understrength Pakistan side gave Australia a decent fight, even if they lost the series. “It proved that we have bench strength,” he claimed. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan had been whitewashed 5-0 by Australia.
“I have absolute trust that this side has grown further in experience and stature since 2017. Supported by the flare, skill, talent and killing-instinct, this side has the capability and potential to rise to the occasion and produce strong performances,” said Inzamam. “Shoaib Malik and Hafeez have played in World Cups before (Malik 2007, Hafeez 2007 and 2011), which makes them experienced and qualified to provide the required stability to the middle-order.” He said in Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Junaid Khan and Mohammad Hasnain, Pakistan had probably the most attacking and lethal bowling unit, which had variation and variety to take wickets and keep the opponents under pressure. The England-bound players will hold training sessions at the Gaddafi Stadium on April 20 and 21, before departing for London in the wee hours of April 23.
Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper and captain), Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Imamul Haq, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi and Shoaib Malik
Pakistan’s schedule of England:
Series v England
27 April – v Kent (50-over practice match) (d)
29 April – v Northamptonshire
(50-over match) (d)
1 May – v Leicestershire (T20 match) (d/n)
5 May – v England (only T20I), Cardiff (d)
8 May – 1st ODI v England, The Oval (d/n)
11 May – 2nd ODI v England, Hampshire (d)
14 May – 3rd ODI v England, Bristol (d/n)
17 May – 4th ODI v England, Trent Bridge (d/n)
19 May – 5th ODI v England, Leeds (d)
ICC World Cup 2019 schedule:
24 May – v Afghanistan (warm-up), Bristol (d)
26 May – v Bangladesh (warm-up), Cardiff (d)
31 May – v Windies, Trent Bridge (d)
3 June – v England, Trent Bridge (d)
7 June – v Sri Lanka, Bristol (d)
12 June – v Australia, Taunton (d)
16 June – v India, Old Trafford (d)
23 June – v South Africa, Lord’s (d)
26 June – v New Zealand, Edgbaston (d)
29 June – v Afghanistan, Headingley (d)
5 July – v Bangladesh, Lord’s (d/n)