ISLAMABAD: Former chief selector and ICC match referee Col (r) Naushad Ali has suggested the Pakistan cricket selectors to include power-hitters in the national T20 International team.
Reacting to the team picked for the three Twenty20 Internationals against Bangladesh, Naushad said: “It is encouraging to see a battery of pacers including Haris Rauf in the team. He had a great Big Bash and has bowled with venom and quality. Inclusion of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Musa Khan is also a good sign. We need to broaden the pool of pace bowlers as in hectic engagements pacer can get injured. It’s always good for any team to have a few bowlers in the back up and for that one needs to give them chances.”
“But to me the real problem for Pakistan lies in the power-hitting department when it comes to their T20 performance,” he added.
Naushad said Pakistan’s performance with the bat, especially in the final few overs of the innings, in recent times were not praiseworthy. “We have lost eight of the last nine matches. For a world No 1 team such a performance is not a good sign. Pakistan lost a majority of those matches due to poor batting. The selectors have to look for power-hitters and sensible batsmen.”
He said captain Babar Azam was a lone warrior in the batting line-up. “One batsman cannot win you every match. You need to develop more with some of them being power-hitters.”
Naushad defended the selectors’ decision to drop Haris Sohail and Imamul Haq from the team. “They were not getting runs,” he said. “Both of them are more one-day or Test players. They have been given enough chances. Some fresh faces are required
to help gain momentum in T20 cricket.”
Naushad said it was an important time for Pakistan. “The 2020 T20 World Cup is approaching fast. As a No 1 team we should field a strong team in the tournament in Australia this October. Preparations should start now. There is no harm in considering different options but four months prior to the tournament we should have a final XI in mind,” he said.