CWC 2019: Five contentious selection calls by Pakistan

As the World Cup draws closer, teams have started announcing their squads for the mega event. Fans anxiously wait for this event which takes place every four years and expect their team to announce the best possible squad before the tournament begins.

On April 18, Pakistan announced their 15-man squad for the mega event which has a good mix of batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders.

BREAKING: Pakistan have announced their #CWC19 squad. 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/NBlvAc2vbo

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) April 18, 2019

One major surprise was the exclusion of wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan from the squad, as the youngster had performed exceptionally well in the recently concluded series against Australia. With wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed also being Pakistan team’s captain, it seems like the board isn’t ready to include another wicket-keeper.

Apart from that, there are at least five areas of concern in the selection process for such a big event. In this article, we will look at the five seemingly weak points in the Pakistani squad for the biggest cricketing event of the year.

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#1 Omission of Asif Ali

There was no reason for Asif Ali's exclusion

Hailing from Faisalabad, Punjab, the 27-year-old hard-hitting batsman made a name for himself in the Pakistan Super League for Islamabad United. He was a key factor in the team’s victory in the PSL.

After getting noticed by selectors, he was included into the Pakistani T20I and ODI squads in July 2018 against Zimbabwe.

While Asif Ali hasn’t batted much in internationals yet, he has shown us glimpses of what he can do if given a proper chance. He’s the hard-hitting lower order batsman which Pakistan has been lacking since almost a decade now, and has the temperament and potential to become a regular for the team.

In T20Is and ODIs, Ali has a strike rate of over 130, and a decent average for a lower-order batsman.

With Pakistan often taking a slow start in ODIs or losing a few wickets in the first ten overs, they really need a batsman who can come in late and hit a few to increase the overall run rate.

#2 Inclusion of Abid Ali

Pakistan v Australia - ODI Series: Game 5

While it’s always good to give new faces a chance in challenging circumstances, it’s not fair to give them a chance in unfair conditions.

Before making his ODI debut in March 2019, Abid Ali had already played close to 100 first-class and 90 List A matches. This clearly shows how experienced he is when it comes to batting in familiar circumstances.

In March 2019, he was named in Pakistan's ODI squad for their series against Australia. He became the fifteenth batsman, and third for Pakistan, to score a century on debut in an ODI match. He made 112 runs before being dismissed, the highest score by a batsman for Pakistan on debut in an ODI.

Even though the lionhearted batsman has proven himself in his debut in the UAE, we cannot be sure how well he can play in English conditions. Abid Ali was out for a duck in the match that followed his debut match which was also an alarming sign.

While we hope that the newcomer will be able to prove us wrong and score freely in English conditions, it is still not wise to name a newer opener instead of someone who has played in English conditions before such a big tournament.

#3 Omission of Usman Shinwari

Usman Shinwari's Big Bash League experience could have come in handy

The 25-year-old left arm speedster has seen his fair share of ups and downs at a young age.

In his debut T20I series against Sri Lanka in 2013, Usman Shinwari was given only one over at the DSC after it went for 9 runs. He was given his full quota of 4 overs in the next T20 and went for 52 runs.

Even though he was mostly kept to the sidelines afterward, he returned in 2017 after he was named in Pakistan’s squad for the series against Sri Lanka. In the second match of his career, he took his maiden five-wicket haul, completing it in only 21 deliveries. Pakistan won the match comprehensively, beating Sri Lanka 5-0.

Shinwari has now improved his statistics and has bagged 28 wickets in 15 ODIs at an average of a little over 19.

While all of Shinwari’s international matches have been played in the UAE, his bowling style can still be a handful in English conditions where fast bowlers who can swing and seam the ball are usually rewarded generously.

#4 Inclusion of Mohammad Hasnain

Shane Watson has called him the quickest teen he's ever seen

Similar to Abid Ali’s case, Muhammad Hasnain has also been fast-tracked to the World Cup squad without much preparation.

The tall 19-year-old pacer is one of the few bowlers from Hyderabad who have played international cricket for Pakistan. He made his ODI debut against Australia in March 2019, and wasn’t successful in his first couple of outings, even going for 50 runs in 5 overs in only his second match.

People aren't too happy with his inclusion

He took two wickets in his third and final match of the series, and the main focus was on how fast he could bowl at such a young age.

While Pakistan may be searching for their next Wahab Riaz, Hasnain does not seem to be the answer at the moment.

Shinwari had a much better series than Hasnain against Australia and should have been the clear favorite over the younger bowler for the mega tournament.

#5 Omission of Mohammad Amir

Pakistan needs a leading bowler at the top

The pride of Changa Bangial did let his country down once but has taken all measures possible to win back some hearts.

Even though Mohammad Amir has been going through an extremely rough patch in recent months, he still has the potential to turn games around on its head with just one good over. This was seen during the ICC Champion's Trophy 2017 in England where he helped Pakistan win the trophy.

Amir’s bowling has usually not worked well in Pakistani and UAE conditions, but he has managed to do better in English and Australian conditions in the past. Furthermore, Pakistan is lacking a spearhead in their lineup who can lead the line-up, and Amir can do just that if required.

We will find out if Amir should have been picked for the World Cup or not at the conclusion of Pakistan’s series against England during the next month.