Inzamam Explains Pakistan’s World Cup Squad Selection

In a detailed explanation of Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq provided insights into the reasoning behind some of the picks, particularly after Pakistan announced their 15-member squad.

While the core group of players who have been regulars in the team was retained, an essential change in the squad was necessitated by the injury to young pace sensation Naseem Shah during the Asia Cup Super Four encounter against India. The experienced Hasan Ali was drafted in as his replacement.

Addressing the selection, Inzamam explained, “Naseem Shah’s injury was a significant loss as he was expected to be our main bowler in the squad. We also have had several injury concerns among fast bowlers, further depleting our options.”

Highlighting Hasan Ali’s addition, Inzamam praised his experience and performance in various tournaments. “Hasan has shown his skill in the Lankan Premier League and other competitions. Despite not featuring much in recent international matches, his past performances in mega events for Pakistan have been noteworthy. With Naseem’s absence, Hasan is a valuable choice, adept at handling the new ball and contributing effectively with his experience and energy to the team.”

The selection of spinners Shadab Khan and Mohammed Nawaz, despite their subdued performances in the Asia Cup, was defended by Inzamam, stressing the importance of continuity in the squad preparation. “We’ve chosen to maintain continuity with players we’ve been nurturing over the past years. The World Cup squad reflects the planning we’ve put in place well in advance. Shadab and Nawaz have been part of our ODI setup for some time. Though their recent performances haven’t matched their potential, we believe in their capabilities and hope for a better showing in the big event. Additionally, we have Usama Mir as a backup option.”

Pakistan’s squad for the 2023 World Cup includes experienced and promising talents:

• Babar Azam (c)
• Shadab Khan
• Fakhar Zaman
• Imam-ul-Haq
• Abdullah Shafique
• Mohammad Rizwan
• Saud Shakeel
• Iftikhar Ahmed
• Salman Ali Agha
• Mohammad Nawaz
• Usama Mir
• Haris Rauf
• Hasan Ali
• Shaheen Afridi
• Mohammad Wasim

The team will engage in warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia before kicking off their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on 6th October in Hyderabad.